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SOUThERN    BRANCH 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
LIBRARY 

LOS   ANGELES.  CALIF. 


I 


HOME   FURNISHING 

PRACTICAL  AND  ARTISTIC 


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A    WILLOW    TABLE   FOR  THE   PORCH    OR    LIVING    ROOM 


Home  Furnishing 

Practical    and    Artistic 
By    A  L  1  (   K    M.    KKLLOCiCi 

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Copyright,     1904    and    1905^    by 
THE   BUTTERICK    PUBLISHING   COMPANY,    LIMITED 


Copyright,    1905,   by 
FREDERICK   A.    STOKES   COMPANY 


Published   in    Noi'emhcr,    IQO^ 


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Presswork:   bv 
The  University  Press,  Cambridge.  U  S.  A. 


1 


o 


PREFACE 

TIE  progressive  spirit  of  the  new  century 
and  the  rapid  artistic  development 
throughout  our  country  have  awak- 
ened a  widespread,  intelligent  interest  in  all 
matters  relating  to  the  Art  of  the  House. 

The  interior  of  the  home  is  naturally  a  re- 
flection of  its  occupants,  and  the  possibility  of 
achieving  satisfying  results  has  created  an  ar- 
dent desire  for  adequate  knowledge.  Even  in 
homes  of  moderate  cost  an  effort  to  unite  beauty 
and  utility  has  become  remarkably  apparent, 
and,  fortunately,  artistic  surroundings  arc  not 
dependent  on  large  outlays  of  money. 

To  give  practical  aid  to  the  aspiring  home 
artist  the  author  has  considered  the  different 
parts  of  the  house  in  turn,  and  suggested  the 
appropriate  furnishings  and  decorations  for 
each.      The  illustrations  have  been  selected  to 


PREFACE 

show  what  has  actually  been^  accomplished  in 
typical  modern  homes;  these,  with  two  excep- 
tions, have  been  made  under  the  personal 
supervision  of  the  author. 

There  are  few  homes  in  which  the  furnishings 
might  not  be  altered  or  modified  to  advantage. 
The  point  to  be  kept  in  view  is,  in  the  main,  how 
to  unite  in  the  best  way  practical  equipment  and 
artistic  effect;  and  this  can  be  accomplished 
only  by  the  employment  of  taste,  knowledge, 
experience  and  judgment.  To  furnish  a  home, 
therefore,  requires  serious  thought,  when  the 
end  to  be  attained  is  one  of  harmony,  simplicity 
and  refinement. 

Too  often  a  house  on  which  an  architect  has 
expended  his  utmost  skill  is  ruined  interiorly  by 
ignorance  in  selecting  the  furnishings  and  deco- 
rations. The  single  choice  of  a  wall  paper  may 
mean  a  disastrous  introduction  of  glaring  colours 
and  distracting  patterns.  Often  the  mere  ar- 
rangement of  the  furniture  becomes  as  impor- 
tant in  obtaining  a  pleasing  interior  as  the  design 
and  finish  of  the  different  pieces. 

vi 


PREFACE 

No  set  of  rules  can  be  laid  down  whereby  to 
solve  the  various  problems  of  house  furnishing; 
there  must  be  a  comprehension  of  the  specific 
conditions  and  an  application  of  the  principles 
of  art ;  but  there  is  evidently  a  field  for  real  serv- 
ice at  the  present  time  in  showing  the  results 
already  attained  in  this  new  movement,  and  in 
providing  helpful  information,  fitting  sugges- 
tions, ideas  and  methods  for  furnishing  the  home 
practically  and  artistically. 


VII 


CONTENTS 

P/tRT  FIRST 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  The  Hall,  Vestibule  and  Stairs     .        .  i 

II.   The  Reception  Room  or  Parlour     .        .  14 

III.  The  Dining  Room 19 

IV.  The  Living  Room 30 

V.   The  Library 42 

VI.  The  Den 5° 

VI 1.  The  Music  Room 57 

\III.  The  Bathroom 63 

IX.  The  Kitchen  and  the  Housemaid's  Room  71 

X.  The  Bedroom 81 

XI.  The  Child's  Room 93 

XII.  The  Guest's  Room 102 

XIII.  The  Veranda 109 

P/1RT  SECOND 

XIV.  Furniture,  New  and  Old.        .       •        .121 
XV.  Coverings  for  the  Floor.        .  .120 

XVI.  Hangings  for  the  Walls  ...         .138 

ix 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XVII.  Curtains  and  Portieres  .       .        .  .148 

XVIII.  Beds  and  Bedding 164 

XIX.  Mantels  and  Inglenooks  .        .        .  .  173 

XX.  Bookshelves  and  Bookcases    .        .  .  189 

XXI.  Window  Seats  and  Cushion  Covers  .  197 

XXII.  The  Plate  Rail  and  Pottery  Shelf  ,  207 

XXIII.  Lamps  and  Candlesticks    .        .        .  .215 

XXIV.  Pictures  and  Bric-a-brac         .        .  .  224 

XXV.  Baskets  and  Jardinieres  ,       .        .  .  236 

XXVI.  The  Afternoon  Tea  Table      .        .  .  244 

XXVII.  Summer    Furnishings   for  the  Country 

House •  •  252 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


PART    FIRST 
A  Willow  Table  for  the  Porch  or  Living  Room 

Frontispiece 

FACING 
PAGE 

A  Comfortable  Chair  for  a  Hall      ...      4 

12 

12 

20 
26 
32 
36 

50 
50 
70 
70 
74 

74 
86 
86 

86 


Umbrella  Holder       ..... 

A  Radiator  with  Warming  Oven 

The  Mission  Idea  in  Dining  Room  Furniture 

A  Sideboard  in  Sheraton  Style 

A  Room  that  is  Lived  in   . 

Every  Article  is  a  Genuine  Antique 

A  Convenient  Writing  Table    . 

A  Door  Harp      ...... 

A  Settle-table 

A  Combination  Gas  and  Coal  Range  . 
A  Rack  for  Drying  Dishes 
Tiling  Over  the  Sink         .... 
A  Toilet  Set  in  Poillon  Pottery 
A  Japanese  Travelling  Bureau 
An  Old-time  Chest  of   Drawers   with   Shaving 
Mirror  ...... 

xi 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


A  Crib  with  Sliding  Sides 

A  Mother  Goose  Chintz     . 

An  Old  Picture  Mirror     . 

A  Chest  for  Toys 

A  Man's  Chiffonier    . 

A   Holder  for   Flowers,   Made 
Pottery 

A  Shingled  Plant  Box 

A  Carrying  Tea  Tray  for  the  Veranda 


OF   Raffia  and 


FACING 
PAGE 

94 
94 

lOO 
ICO 

T04 


116 

116 
116 


P/IRT    SECOND 

One  OF  Sheraton's  Designs        ....  122 

A  Chippendale  Pattern 122 

Heart-backed  Chair  Designed  BY  Heppelwhite    .  122 

Some  Antique  Chairs  and  Tables       .         .         .  126 

Navajo  Method  of  Weaving       ....  134 

An  Eastern  Prayer  Rug 134 

A  Border  for  the  Nursery        ....  146 

A  Pattern  Suited  to  Sloping  Walls          .         .  146 

A  Striped  Paper  for  a  Room  with  Low  Ceiling  .  146 
Curtains  for  a  Wide  Window    .         .         .         .156 

A  Bedroom  with  Twin  Brass  Beds    .         .         .  166 

Twin  Mahogany  Beds          .....  170 

An  Antique  Four-posted  Bedstead    .         .         .  170 

xii 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


FACING 
PAGE 


An  Inglenook  Designed  for  a  Living  Room  .  i86 
Shelves  to  Conceal  a  Steam  Radiator  .  .  190 
Shelves  under  a  Mantel  .....  190 
A  Modern  Franklin  Stove  ....    194 

Wall  Shelves  for  a  Corner  ....  194 
A  Cushioned  Seat  near  a  Window  .  .  .  198 
A  Cushion  for  Every  Day  in  the  Week  .  .  202 
A  Window  Seat  Built  Out  from  the  Wall  .  206 
A  Shelf  with  Cup-hooks  underneath  .  .  218 
A  Double  Student  Lamp  in  Brass  .  .  .  218 
Barye's  Lion  in  Plaster  .....  218 
Small    Pictures    Framed    Alike    Look    Better 

Hung  Closely  Together      ....  230 
Several  Pictures  may  be  Hung  from  One  Hook   .   230 

A  Tree  Tub  in  Pottery 242 

A  Hammered  Brass  Jardiniere  ....  242 
A  Three-tier  Stand  Made  of  Willow        .         .  242 


XIII 


1 


PART    FIRST 


HOME     FURNISHING 

PRACTICAL    AND    ARTISTIC 


THE    HALL,    VESTIBULE    AND    STAIRS 

The  impression  that  a  hall  leaves  with  one 

is  not  so  much  of  detail  as  of  a  hospitable  or 

inhospitable  atmosphere.     The  furnishings  arc 

the  fewest  that  are  gathered  into  any  room  in 

aT  the   house,   the  decorations  arc   the   simplest; 

>.   the  right  selection  of  each  is  imperative  if  the 

?    hall  is  to  be  made  attractive. 

Interest  in  home  furnishini^  is  often  too 
closely  concerltratcd  upon  tlie  living  rooms  to 
.the  neglect  of  the  hall  and  stairway;  yet  the 
latter  really  exacts  the  larger  amount  of  atten- 
tion, from  two  standpoints — prominent  position 
and  constant  u.sagc. 

In  the  early  days  in  England  the  hall  was  an 


HOxME   FURNISHING 

imposing  chamber,  where  much  of  the  social 
life  was  passed.  Tables  were  brought  in  at 
meal  times,  and  privacy  was  secured  by  screen- 
ing off  certain  portions  of  the  apartment.  After 
a  time  regular  rooms  were  arranged  for  receiv- 
ing visitors,  eating  and  sleeping,  and  the  hall 
became  a  place  distinctive  in  itself. 

Modern  halls  are  an  outcome  of  all  of  the 
styles  that  have  gone  before.  Sometimes  they 
appear  simply  as  a  means  of  egress  and  entrance, 
and  as  a  passageway  into  the  various  rooms  of 
the  house.  Or,  the  hall  is  sometimes  combined 
with  the  reception  room  or  parlour,  or  made 
the  chief  living  room  in  the  establishment. 

The  wide,  straight  hallway,  of  colonial 
architecture,  that  extended  from  the  front  of 
the  house  to  the  back,  is  still  seen  in  many 
modern  homes,  besides  those  constructed  after 
the  old  style.  A  treatment  that  followed  the 
early  colonial  is  that  of  placing  the  staircase 
in  a  passageway  out  of  sight  of  the  front  door, 
at  the  risrht  or  left  of  the  entrance.  This 
kind  of  hall,  v/ith  the  doors  at  opposite  ends, 

2 


HALL,    VESTIBULE   AND   STAIRS 

makes  a  pleasant  sitting  place  in  summer 
when  cool  currents  of  air  draw  through  the 
openings. 

An  economy  of  space  in  small  houses  is  at- 
tained by  adopting  a  floor  plan  in  which  the 
hall  and  parlour  each  occupies  one-half  of  the 
front  of  the  house,  the  kitchen  and  dining  room 
taking  the  rear. 

Before  looking  into  the  requirements  of  the 
ordinary  entrance  hall,  the  fittings  for  the  living 
hall  may  be  considered.  In  southern  climates 
and  in  summer  places  the  living  hall  forms  a 
delightful  centre  for  the  family  and  its  guests. 
The  situation  calls  for  good  furnishings  and  a 
more  orderly  arrangement  than  is  necessary  in 
a  living  room;  but  plenty  of  provision  for  com- 
fortable seating  v/ith  chairs  of  various  kinds, 
a  number  of  tables  and  stands,  rugs,  window 
curtains  and  some  decorative  accessories. 

If  no  vestibule  precedes  the  entrance  to  the 
living  hall,  a  niche  or  corner  near  the  front  door 
may  be  arranged  for  laying  aside  wrajxs,  um- 
brellas and  overshoes.     This  may  be  made  con- 

3 


HOME   FURNISHING 

venicnt  without  specific  attention  being  called 
to  its  office  of  usefulness. 

If  a  fireplace  is  present  it  may  have  a  settle 
or  a  high-backed  sofa  drawn  near  it,  screened 
from  draughts  from  the  door  in  chilly  weather. 
The  fittings  for  this  fireplace  may  be  chosen 
for  their  expression  of  dignity,  with  lines  plain 
and  clear-cut. 

If  small  rugs  are  laid  on  the  floor  their  posi- 
tions should  follow  the  lines  facing  the  entrance, 
if  possible  without  much  bare  floor  showing 
between.  Dark,  subdued  colourings  on  the 
floor  will  be  preferable  to  light,  insignificant 
tones,  and  geometrical  designs  to  floral  ef- 
fects. 

Sometimes  a  piano  is  placed  in  the  living  hall, 
but  the  intei'ruptions  incident  to  the  entrance- 
way  bar  out  a  restful  enjoyment  of  music.  A 
music-box  or  other  mechanical  instrument  may, 
however,  be  a  means  of  entertainment  without 
this  objection. 

The  colour  scheme  for  the  living  hall  is 
peculiarly  dependent  upon  its  shape  and  size, 

4 


/ 


-J 


HALL,   VESTIBULE   AND   STAIRS 

besides  other  conditions  that  always  enter  into 
a  choice  for  this  part  of  home  decoration.  A 
deep  pumpkin  yellow  will  transform  a  gloomy 
wall,  and  the  brightness  may  be  increased  with 
white-painted  woodwork.  The  mahogany  tones 
of  Bokhara  rugs,  or  a  carpet  in  two  tones  of 
bronze  with  a  trace  of  deep  blue  will  harmon- 
ise with  the  pumpkin-coloured  wall,  and  old 
mahogany  or  cathedral  oak  furniture  will  com- 
plete the  colour  plan.  Some  of  the  old  Dutch 
copper  or  brass  milk  cans  will  fit  into  the  tali 
lines  of  the  hall  as  flower  holders  on  a  large 
scale. 

Curtains  for  the  living  hall  may  need,  on 
account  of  a  lack  of  light,  to  be  of  the  sheerest 
net,  but  without  the  lace-like  designs  that  are 
appropriate  elsewhere.  In  each  detail  of  its 
furnishings  the  living  hall  requires  perfect 
suitability  to  its  use  and  conditions  to  be  suc- 
cessful. 

In  the  homes  tliat  are  planned  in  a  commo- 
dious fashion,  a  hall  that  has  its  walls  panelled 
with  wood  presents  the  most  dignified  appear- 

5 


HOME  FURNISHING 

ance;  but  halls  that  are  contracted  in  size  are 
not  benefited  by  this  treatment.  A  wainscot 
of  wood,  either  low  or  high,  according  to  the 
length,  width  and  height  of  the  hallway,  is  a 
protection  from  the  continuous  passing  and 
moving  of  furniture  or  luggage.  When  a  wain- 
scot must  be  excluded  from  reasons  of  economy, 
its  substitute  may  be  made  with  some  one  of  the 
heavy  wall  coverings  made  especially  for  the 
purpose. 

The  wood  selected  for  the  hall,  even  among 
the  cheaper  grades,  may  contribute  a  quiet,  re- 
fined expression  to  the  entrance  of  the  house 
if  treated  with  one  of  the  new  dead-lustre  stains. 
A  stain  is  preferable  to  paint,  as  it  gives  a  varia- 
tion of  light  and  shade  to  the  wood ;  and  the  dull 
finishes  are  now  more  in  evidence  than  those 
that  are  polished  and  varnished. 

Sometimes  an  entire  house  is  finished  with 
white-painted  woodwork,  as  in  the  days  of  our 
forefathers,  a  style  that  is  to  be  preferred  to 
that  of  a  later  period  when  an  imitation  of 
grained  oak  came  in  vogue. 

6 


HALL,   VESTIBULE   AND   STAIRS 

Just  what  colour  in  which  to  finish  the  wood- 
work that  has,  by  Hmitation  of  cost  and  per- 
sonal preference,  been  chosen  for  the  hall-trim 
is  often  a  puzzling  problem  to  the  home  builder. 
A  definite  guide,  however,  is  at  hand  in  the 
furniture  that  is  to  be  used,  for  mahogany  looks 
its  best  against  white  paint;  Flemish  oak  needs 
a  corresponding  finish  around  it;  dark  oak 
maf  have  almost  any  oak  tone;  light  oak  may 
have  its  corresponding  finish  or  a  green  stain  or 
paint. 

Tlie  colour  for  the  wall  hangings  in  the  hall 
may  be  considered  in  relation  to  the  two  sta- 
tionary features, — woodwork  and  exposure.  An 
absence  of  sunlight  may  be  atoned  for  by  the 
use  of  yellow  in  a  depth  of  shade  called  for  by 
the  conditions.  Red,  in  one  of  its  innumerable 
tones,  will  help  to  diffuse  an  inviting  atmosphere. 
If  blue  or  green  is  chosen  only  the  warm  tones 
are  advisable. 

For  a  plain  wall  hanging  the  ingrain,  silk 
fibre  or  crepe  papers  may  be  drawn  from;  or, 
in  heavier  material,  the  buckram,  crash,  Ijurlap, 

7 


HOME   FURNISHING 

grass  cloth,  Japanese  leather  paper,  imitation  or 
real  leather,  jute  or  other  textile  fabric.  With 
any  of  these  selections  some  decoration  of  pic- 
tures or  plaster  casts  will  be  needed  to  give 
interest  to  the  walls. 

Striped  papers  in  two  tones  of  one  colour 
look  well  in  a  hall  when  the  perpendicular  lines 
are  not  cut  off  by  a  wainscot,  or  when  the  ceil- 
ing is  not  very  high.  A  close-set,  conventiqnal 
pattern  in  two  tones  is  always  a  safe  choice, 
if  the  colour  is  right. 

Narrow  borders  may  be  used  with  plain  or 
two-toned  papers  to  make  horizontal  panel 
effects  on  the  walls.  Corner  pieces  to  fit  the 
borders  are  manufactured,  and  the  illusion, 
under  a  competent  paper-hanger,  is  complete. 

Tapestry  papers  suit  halls  that  are  finished 
in  Flemish  or  dark  oak,  and  in  colonial  halls 
the  reproductions  of  eighteenth  century  picture 
papers  look  well  with  white  paint. 

A  wall  paper  that  is  conspicuous  in  design 
and  strong  in  colour  requires  no  further  deco- 
ration, but  with  a  plain  surface  pictures  are  a 

8 


HALL,   VESTIBULE   AND    STAIRS 

source  of  satisfaction.  Sets  of  pictures  with 
subjects  bearing  some  relation  to  each  other, 
diilerent  views  of  one  place,  or  several  pictures 
by  one  master,  when  framed  uniformly,  make 
a  characteristic  contribution  to  the  hall  walls. 
Sometimes  the  wall  at  the  side  of  the  stairs 
may  be  hung  with  small  prints,  carrying  them 
in  an  ascending  line  to  the  second  floor. 

The  most  practical  and  hygienic  treatment 
for  the  floor  of  the  hall  is  hardwood  laid  with 
durable  rugs.  In  some  houses  the  stairs  are 
left  uncarpeted,  but  the  noise  is  objectionable; 
the  colour  effect,  too,  of  a  stair  carpet  is  not  to 
be  overlooked  in  creating  an  attractive  interior. 

The  best  way  to  fasten  a  stair  carpet  to  the 
wood  is  with  the  modem  invisible  appliance 
underneath  the  material.  Brass  rods  in  flat 
or  rounded  shapes  are  still  in  existence,  and 
sometimes  ordinary  carpet  tacks  are  the  only 
fastenings.  To  soften  the  tread  and  prevent 
the  carfjet  from  wearing  on  the  edges  of  the 
steps  a  thick  i)ad  is  laid  next  the  floor  and 
secured  by  l<jops  slij)i)cd  over  small  hooks. 

9 


HOME   FURNISHING 

If  carpet  is  to  be  chosen  for  the  hall  its  colour- 
ing should  harmonise  with  the  walls  and  wood- 
work. Plain-coloured  carpets  are  restful  to 
look  upon,  but  not  practical  at  the  entrance  to 
the  house.  Bright  colours  and  showy  designs 
are  inappropriate.  Borders  need  not  be  adopted 
at  all  in  halls  of  medium  size.  Uniformity 
can  be  had  by  using  a  hall  carpet  with  the  runner 
for  the  stairs  matching  in  colour  and  design. 

In  buying  the  furniture  requisite  for  the  hail 
it  is  well  to  consider  that  it  will  not  need  replac- 
ing for  a  number  of  years.  If  the  material 
and  workmanship  are  good  and  the  design 
simple  and  artistic,  the  pieces  will  not  need 
to  be  put  aside  or  renewed  for  changir^g 
.fashions. 

An  improvement  on  the  cumbersome  com- 
bination hall  seat,  umbrella  holder  and  hat 
rack  was  originated  in  one  home  by  placing  a 
wooden  chest  under  a  mirror  with  hat  hooks 
set  in  the  frame.  An  umbrella  holder  of 
Japanese  porcelain  was  then  added  near  the 
door. 

lO 


HALL,   VESTIBULE   AND   STAIRS 

A  small  stand  for  holding  a  card  tray  may 
have  its  niche  near  the  front  door,  and  a  hard- 
wood chair  or  bench  be  at  hand  for  the  messen- 
ger who  is  kept  waiting. 

A  reliable  clock  placed  in  the  hall  fulfils  an 
all-around  sersnce  for  the  house.  Many  of  us 
have  associations  with  the  long-case  or  grand- 
father's clock  that  makes  its  possession  a  con- 
stant delight,  and  an  ideal  choice  for  the  stair 
landing. 

A  cuckoo  clock  has  the  advantage  of  not 
needing  a  shelf  for  putting  it  in  position,  and  of 
gratifying  the  musical  taste  of  the  children. 

Cut  flowers  do  not  always  find  a  congenial 
setting  in  the  hall,  but  a  foliage  plant  or  a 
pot  of  blooming  flowers  set  in  a  jardiniere  of 
pottery  or  metal  contributes  so  homelike  a 
touch  to  the  entrance  way  that  it  may  not  be 
forgotten. 

Open  doorways  from  the  hall  into  the  parlour 
or  library  require  portieres  as  a  shield  or  screen. 
These  should  hang  straiglU  to  the  floor,  just 
clearing  the  caipet.     Heavy  jxjrtieres  may  be 

11 


HOME   FURNISHING 

run  on  pulley  cords  and  traverse  rings  to  avoid 
dragging  when  they  are  pulled  together. 

The  vestibule  door  (leading  from  the  hall 
into  the  vestibule)  has  often  a  glass  of  some  kind 
in  the  upper  part,  sometimes  with  side-lights 
to  match.  Leaded  glass,  opaque  and  colour- 
less, will  do  away  with  much  vexatious  care 
in  screening  the  hall  from  observation.  In  a 
rented  house,  where  some  covering  must  be 
used,  a  plain  panel  of  bobbinet  with  a  design 
and  insertion  of  lace  work  may  be  put  up  on 
tiny  brass  rods  at  the  top  and  bottom,  with  a 
shade  on  a  roller  or  an  over-curtain  of  silk 
to  draw  at  night.  With  dark  woodwork  the 
lace  panel  looks  best  of  6cru  colour;  if  white 
woodwork  is  the  finish  the  lace  may  be  white 
or  cream  colour.  To  give  uniformity  to  the 
xterior  appearance  of  the  house  the  same  net 
and  lace  used  in  the  parlour  may  appear  on  the 
vestibule  door. 

The  decorations  of  the  vestibule  are  the  sole 
means  for  bringing  this  part  of  the  entrance 
into    line    with    "the    house    beautiful."     The 


> 

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H 

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06 

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»», 


HALL,   VESTIBULE   AND   STAIRS 

floor  and  wainscot  of  dull-finished  tiles  in  terra- 
cotta colour  may  each  have  a  narrow  coloured 
border  as  a  finish.  The  upper  walls  may  be 
painted  in  buff  with  a  pattern  stencilled  over 
in  dull,  light  red.  The  design  of  the  door,  its 
finish  and  material  and  the  hardware  applied 
on  it,  arc  items  to  be  thoughtfully  considered 
when  building  or  re-modelling. 


»3 


II 

THE  RECEPTION  ROOM  OR  PARLOUR 

The  "keeping  room"  of  our  ancestors  that 
was  reserved  for  formal  entertaining  is  not 
sufficiently  in  accord  with  our  comfort-demand- 
ing age  to  be,  like  some  of  the  furniture  of  its 
period,  either  restored  or  reproduced.  Yet 
the  readiness  of  that  room  to  receive  the  outside 
world  at  all  times  scored  one  point  in  its  favour 
and  makes  a  modernised  substitute  desirable. 
A  receiving,  or  reception  room,  is  of  advantage 
under  any  conditions,  and,  with  young  children 
or  older  persons  in  the  family,  is  really  neces- 
sary. 

The  situation  of  a  room  of  this  kind  (in  some 
homes  called  a  parlour,  in  others  a  reception 
room)  should  be  near  the  front  door  or  vestibule, 
and  if  this  is  well  managed  by  the  architect  or 
builder,    a    stranger   entering   the    house    will 

14 


RECEPTION  ROOM  OR  PARLOUR 

naturally  turn  towards  the  place  where  he  is 
to  be  received,  and  not  stray  into  the  family 
rooms.  When  the  room  is  not  properly  located 
in  the  beginning,  some  alteration  of  doorways 
should  be  made  or  the  uses  of  the  rooms  changed. 
In  one  home  the  latter  plan  was  adopted,  mak- 
ing the  library  into  a  reception  room  and  the 
parlour  into  a  living  room. 

The  privacy  desirable  for  a  reception  room 
is  often  defeated  by  the  modern  fashion  of 
archways  in  place  of  doors.  When  the  former 
exist,  thick  hangings  may  be  used  that  will 
shut  out  noise  and  interruptions.  A  second 
door  from  the  reception  room  to  another  part 
of  the  house  should  be  planned  in  building  a 
house  with  a  parlour. 

The  popular  scheme  at  the  present  time  is 
to  furnish  the  parlour  in  what  painters  call  a 
"high  key,"  that  is,  white-and-gold,  whitc-and- 
rose,  or  green-and-white.  This  is  suitable  in 
a  home  where  tliere  is  much  evening  entertain- 
ing and  where  the  parlour  is  used  by  guests  with- 
out wraps,  the  decorations  making  a  brilliant 

'5 


HOME   FURNISHING 

setting  for  evening  costumes;  but  when  the 
main  office  of  the  room  (as  in  homes  of  moder- 
ate cost)  is  to  receive  callers  in  their  outdoor 
garments,  with  the  hostess  in  her  ordinary 
house  dress,  quiet  colours  in  the  room  are  the 
better  choice.  With  this  granted,  the  woodwork 
may  be  a  soft-toned  medium  brown,  with  a 
paper  quietly  decorative  in  design;  or  a  two- 
toned  paper  may  be  chosen  as  a  background 
for  some  interesting  pictures.  The  windows 
may  be  hung  with  long  ecru-coloured  lace  cut- 
tains,  with  over-curtains  of  warm-hued  tonea 
for  the  winter.  The  absolute  needs  of  the 
room  would  be  covered  with  the  admission  of 
two  or  three  chairs,  a  small  sofa  and  a  table; 
but  this  limit  may  be  extended  as  space  and 
income  permit. 

In  the  selection  of  chairs  for  this  room  rockers 
and  Morris  chairs  may  be  discarded,  but  com- 
fortable armchairs  of  good  construction  pro- 
vided. Some  light  side  chairs  with  cane  seats 
and  mahogany  frames  are  useful  in  this  room, 
and  the  Sheraton  models  for  sofa  and  chairs  are 

i6 


RECEPTION  ROOM  OR  PARLOUR 

essentially  appropriate.  Willow  chairs,  stained 
and  fitted  with  pretty  cushions  on  the  seats  and 
backs,  may  take  the  place  of  a  more  expensive 
upholstered  variety. 

There  are  tables  innumerable  to  choose  from, 
but  many  of  them  are  badly  designed,  heavily 
ornate  and  poorly  constructed.  The  old-fash- 
ioned round  candle-stand  is  a  model  that  has  not 
lost  its  trim  outlines  with  age,  and  the  carved 
or  pie-crust  edge  bestows  a  little  touch  of  dec- 
oration that  is  not  objectionable  in  the  recep- 
tion room. 

A  low  taboret  is  useful  for  holding  a  foliage 
plant,  and  a  teakwood  stand  with  a  square  of 
marble  set  into  the  top  is  serviceable  for  holding 
a  vase  of  cut  flowers.  If  tea  is  to  be  brought 
in  at  any  time,  a  turn-down  or  tip-table  may 
be  kept  in  reserve  for  the  tray. 

A  small  writing  desk  or  table  supplied  with 
stationery  may  also  be  a  part  of  the  equipment 
of  the  parlour,  for  the  especial  convenience  of 
the  caller  or  guest  staying  in  the  house. 

The  selections  of  pictures  may  be  such  as  to 

'7 


HOME   FURNISHING 

arrest  the  attention  and  give  pleasure  by  their 
interpretation  of  nature  or  Hfe.  Family  por- 
traits, amateur  attempts  at  photography,  ex- 
periments in  drawing  or  painting,  may  each 
and  all  be  excluded  from  the  reception  room. 

Books  of  pictorial  interest  or  short  selections 
that  may  be  enjoyed  by  callers  who  chance 
to  be  kept  waiting  are  among  the  minor  pro- 
visions for  the  parlour  that  give  evidence  of 
thought  as  well  as  of  taste;  and  fresh  flowers 
in  pretty  bowls  or  jars  will  give  a  more  dis- 
tinctive touch  than  mere  furnishings,  however 
valuable. 

Bric-a-brac  and  other  decorations  may  be 
chosen  for  the  enjoyment  of  those  who  come 
into  this  room,  and  not  be  an  expression  of  the 
individual  tastes  of  the  family.  A  clock  of  good 
design  may  stand  upon  the  mantel  with  a 
plaster  cast,  candelabra,  a  Japanese  vase  and 
piece  of  pottery. 


18 


Ill 

THE   DINING    ROOM 

Originality  and  taste  arc  often  expended 
in  the  different  parts  of  the  house  to  the  exclu- 
sion of  the  dining  room.  As  a  place  to  go  to 
at  meal  times  this  room  is  provided  with  a  table 
and  chairs,  a  sideboard  and  china  closet.  The 
windows  are  curtained,  the  floor  is  laid  with  a 
rug  or  carpet,  the  wall  is  papered,  pictures  arc 
hung  and  the  room  is  finished*, 

What  are  the  possibilities  for  making  this 
part  of  the  home  interesting?  If  we  begin 
when  the  plans  of  the  different  rooms  are  drawn 
up  by  the  architect,  we  would  put  in  a  pica  for 
placing  the  dining  room  in  a  position  where  it 
will  get  the  morning  sunshine,  the  full  light 
of  day  hours,  and  the  lingering  gleams  of  sun- 
set. This  means  an  exposure  of  cast,  soutli 
and  west;    but  if    this    happy  combination   is 

•9 


HOME   FURNISHING 

impossible  to  reach,  then  one  of  the  three  may 
be  the  substitute.  If  only  a  north  light,  how- 
ever, is  available  for  the  dining  room,  especial 
care  must  be  given  to  the  colouring  to  make 
up  for  its  cold  outlook. 

One  point  that  may  well  be  thought  of  in 
making  a  new  dining  room  is  its  shape.  Long, 
straight  lines,  or  those  exactly  square,  are  almost 
sure  to  create  an  uninteresting  interior,  unless 
helped  out  by  built-in  furniture  or  artistic  wood- 
work. 

A  plate  shelf  may  often  be  made  an  archi- 
tectural feature  in  the  dining  room.  Its  mission 
is  to  hold  pieces  of  china  that  are  worth  exhibit- 
ing from  an  artistic  or  historical  point  and  that 
are  not  needed  for  daily  use.  Usually  the 
plate  shelf  is  placed  in  line  with  some  other 
part  of  the  woodwork,  the  top  of  the  mantel, 
the  upper  framing  of  the  windows  or  doors,  or 
it  may  be  quite  independent  of  any  of  these. 
If  the  wall  below  the  plate  shelf  is  panelled  in 
wood  to  form  a  wainscot,  only  the  space  above 
needs  a  covering.     Water  or  oil  colours  may 

20 


o 

o 
a: 

-J 


y. 

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a 

y. 

o 

73 


THE   DINING   ROOM 

give  this  part  a  plain  tint,  or  a  paper  may  be 
used;  or  one  of  the  heavier  wall  coverinG;s  such 
as  burlap,  grass  cloth,  Japanese  leather  or 
buckram  may  be  selected,  a  plain  surface 
showing  the  contents  of  the  plate  shelf  to  better 
advantage  than  a  figured  one. 

China  closets  that  are  built  into  or  against 
the  wall  are  another  means  of  bringing  interest 
into  the  dining  room.  Sometimes  these  closets 
are  united  with  the  fireplace  to  balance  the  lines 
of  the  room. 

A  long  window  seat  with  casement  windows 
is  a  pictorial  addition  to  a  dining  room,  and 
of  service  for  afternoon  or  evening  entertain- 
ments. 

If  a  choice  may  be  made  in  the  woodwork 
of  this  room  it  may  fall  on  whatever  will  suit 
the  furniture  the  best,  and  as  a  decided  prefer- 
ence is  generally  felt  for  dining-room  pieces  in 
mahogany  or  oak,  the  background  of  wood 
may,  with  the  former,  be  of  white  painted  wood, 
or,  with  the  latter,  some  shade  of  brown  or 
green. 

21 


HOME   FURNISHING 

In  rented  houses  the  dining  rooms  are  often 
spoiled  by  a  cheap  wood  finish,  and  the  only 
improvement  to  be  made  is  with  paint  of  a 
quiet,  harmonising  colour. 

The  colour  of  the  walls  and  the  colour  of  the 
floor  covering  are  the  important  items  in  the 
dining  room  from  a  decorative  standpoint.  If 
the  exposure  renders  the  room  habitually  dark 
and  gloomy,  great  care  should  be  given  to  bring 
bright  tones  into  the  wall  treatment.  If,  on 
the  contrary,  there  is  considerable  window  glass 
and  a  glare  of  light,  the  room  will  require  ton- 
ing down  with  papers  of  subdued  hues. 

The  question  of  a  plain  or  figured  wall  paper 
for  the  dining  room  must  depend  upon  certain 
conditions — whether  a  purely  decorative  result 
is  wanted  or  whether  the  walls  must  be  a  back- 
ground for  pictures  or  china.  The  style  of  fur- 
niture, too,  will  modify  the  selection,  as  chairs 
and  table  that  are  massively  carved  must  be 
sustained  by  a  depth  of  colour  behind  them. 

A  large  rug  is  the  best  covering  for  the  dining- 
room  floor.     If  the  boards  showing  outside  of 

22 


THE   DINING   ROOxM 

the  rug  are  not  in  condition  for  a  stained  or 
waxed  finish,  they  may  be  painted  a  soft  dark 
colour  that  docs  not  obtrude  itself  against  the 
colours  of  the  rug.  The  size  of  the  rug  should 
be  generous  enough  to  allow  the  chairs  to  be 
pushed  back  from  the  table  without  scraping 
the  bare  floor. 

A  plain-coloured  rug  is  not  as  serviceable 
for  this  room  as  well-mixed  colours  in  a  close- 
set  pattern.  The  Wilton  rugs  and  the  Scotch 
(the  latter  reversible)  arc  in  good  taste  and  give 
good  wear  at  a  medium  price.  Velvet  or  Wilton 
carpeting  that  is  six,  nine  or  twelve  feet  wide 
may  be  cut  the  right  length  and  used  as  a  rug 
without  any  border.  Oriental  rugs  of  not  too 
heavy  a  pile  are  the  most  enduring  here  as  in 
every  other  part  of  the  home,  but  a  strongly 
marked  centre  figure  is  often  difficult  to  adjust 
evenly  under  a  taVjle. 

The  drop-leaf  table  around  which  our  fore- 
fathers consumed  their  meals  was  increased  in 
size  for  the  comfort  of  guests  by  joining  a  side 
table  of  the  same  height  and   width   at   each 

23 


HOME   FURNISHING 

end.  Our  later-day  contrivance,  the  extension 
table,  is  an  advance  so  far  as  utility  is  concerned, 
but  for  beauty  it  is  not  at  all  a  success.  The 
oblong  size  with  rounded  ends  is  seldom  seen 
nowadays;  square  ones  are  still  made;  the 
round  table,  however,  is  growing  more  and  more 
into  popular  favour. 

The  prominence  of  this  piece  of  furniture 
and  its  cost  make  its  choice  a  critical  one  in 
the  fitting  up  of  the  dining  room.  The  con- 
struction of  the  supports  may  be  carefully 
noted,  and  if  the  table  is  to  remain  in  an  ex- 
tended position  the  centre  pillar  may  be  dis- 
carded for  a  style  with  posts  at  each  corner. 

A  round  table  four  feet  six  inches  across 
seats  several  persons  and  allows  an  extra  place 
to  be  added  without  the  use  of  extension  leaves. 
It  may  be  extended,  if  necessary,  to  eight, 
ten  or  twelve  feet,  according  to  the  number  of 
leaves.  Of  course,  the  rounded  edges  occasion 
a  loss  of  space  for  the  serving  dishes  that  the 
square  table  affords.  Table-cloths  are  made 
for  the  round  table,  and  the  usual  small  pieces 

24 


THE   DINING   ROOM 

of  linen  for  the  centre,  plate  doilies,  etc.,  each 
item  adding  its  share  to  the  symmetrical  ap- 
pearance of  the  table. 

A  polished  wood  for  the  top  of  a  dining  table 
soon  becomes  seared  with  hot  dishes  if  no  pre- 
cautions arc  used.  Large  asbestos  pads  are 
manufactured  to  lay  under  the  cloth,  or,  if  a 
bare  table  is  preferred  for  breakfasts  and 
luncheons,  small  asbestos  mats  may  be  slipped 
under  plate  doilies. 

Dining-room  chairs  should  match  the  table 
in  wood  and  general  style.  Mahogany  chairs 
of  the  best  make  are  sometimes  copied  from 
the  English  designers,  Chippendale,  Sheraton, 
and  Heppehvhite.  Chairs  carved  in  dark  oak 
return  to  the  earlier  period  of  English  deco- 
ration, the  Jacobean.  Mission  chairs  and 
tables  in  austere  lines  and  deep-coloured  finish 
suit  some  conditions  better  than  any  other 
type.  Painted  chairs  are  not  usual  in  the 
dining  room,  but  the  idea  was  adopted  with 
success  to  match  the  sage-green  paint  on  the 
woodwork.     The  reproductions  of  the  Windsor 

25 


HOME   FURNISHING 

chair  without  arms  may  be  treated  to  paint 
with  good  results. 

A  sideboard  of  some  kind,  when  the  spaces 
of  the  room  permit,  is  one  of  the  real  require- 
ments of  the  dining  room.  So  many  varieties 
of  this  article  exist  in  old  pieces  and  new  that 
the  choice  must  turn  upon  the  price  that  is  to 
be  paid,  and  its  location  and  surroundings. 
Some  of  the  old  Southern  sideboards  of  San 
Domingo  mahogany  are  typical  of  lavish  hos- 
pitality and  generous-sized  homes.  A  fine  side- 
board that  has  descended  through  generations 
is  a  treasured  inheritance,  but  one  that  is  merely 
an  antique  without  any  claims  of  association, 
beauty  of  design  or  integrity  of  wood,  is  value- 
less. 

Besides  the  sideboard  which  holds  the  flat 
silver  and  linen  in  its  drawers  and  accommo- 
dates other  silver  and  glassware  on  the  top,  a 
serving  table  is  useful  as  an  auxiliary.  This  is 
made  with  one  drawer  and  a  shelf  below,  and 
the  top  is  kept  free  for  removing  dishes  to  and 
from  the  table  during  the  progress  of  the  meal. 

26 


THE   DINING    ROOM 

A  china  closet  with  glass  doors  and  mirrors 
at  the  back  is  made  in  different  woods  and 
several  styles  to  fit  against  the  wall  or  to  stand 
in  the  corner.  Much  expense  is  put  into  some 
of  these  closets,  fine  canang  and  careful  finish 
adding  to  the  cost  of  the  handsome  wood;  and 
sometimes  the  shelves  and  sides  are  made  of 
glass  to  show  the  interior  contents  to  better 
advantage. 

The  lighting  and  heating  of  the  dining  room 
require  a  thoughtful  consideration  to  give  the 
acme  of  comfort  with  due  reference  to  aesthetic 
appearance.  Unless  there  are  ample  spaces 
to  the  dining  room  the  open  fireplace  may  be 
dispensed  with,  as  close  contact  is  a  source  of 
discomfort  v/hen  it  is  too  near  the  table.  A 
recessed  fireplace  with  built-in  seats  placed  at 
the  farther  end  of  the  room  is  the  ideal  arrange- 
ment for  this  feature  in  this  part  of  the  home. 
If  hot-water  radiators  supply  the  heat,  a  warm- 
ing oven  may  be  attached  to  one  of  the  radia- 
tors for  use  in  the  coldest  weather. 

To  sit  facing  a  glare  of  light  will  s^joil  the 

27 


HOME   FURNISHING 

most  enjoyable  meal,  and  a  table  poorly  lighted 
will  bring  equal  discomfort.  Just  the  right 
amount  of  light  may  be  reached  after  a  little 
experimenting  with  curtains  and  gas  or  electric 
shades.  All  of  the  windows  should  have  prac- 
tical means  for  shifting  the  curtains  readily 
according  to  the  needs  for  increasing  or  decreas- 
ing the  light. 

The  articles  related  to  the  dining  room,  china, 
glass  and  silver,  afford  so  large  an  opportunity 
for  appropriate  decoration  that  pictures  seem 
almost  needless.  Yet  the  attraction  that  an 
interesting  picture  lends  to  any  room  should 
not  be  forgotten  here.  A  reaction  has  happily 
set  in  against  the  unpleasantly  realistic  paint- 
ings of  fish  and  animals  that  a  few  years  ago 
were  considered  the  proper  selection  for  dining- 
room  walls.  Instead,  there  is  a  popular  liking 
for  the  English  and  American  coloured  prints 
of  hunting  and  golf  scenes,  and  for  a  higher 
grade  of  pictures  of  still  life,  flowers  and  fruit. 

Whatever  the  choice  of  pictures  for  the  walls 
of  the  dining  room,  it  should  attract  and  hold 

28 


THE   DINING   ROOM 

the  attention  pleasantly,  and  lend  towards  the 
entertainment  of  the  meal  hour. 

A  bctween-meals  cloth  is  not  so  much  seen 
now  as  in  other  years,  and  a  round  mat  of  some 
kind  takes  its  place.  The  tooled  leather  makes 
a  substantial  and  beautiful  mat  for  this  place; 
or  an  embroidered  circle  of  thick  brown  linen 
may  be  made  by  home  talent.  A  bowl  of  fresh 
flowers  or  a  small  jardiniere  may  be  placed  on 
the  mat  and  the  rest  of  the  table  left  bare. 


29 


IV 

THE   LIVING   ROOM 

A  STRONG  plea  for  the  living  room  is  made 
in  these  words  of  an  English  architect  of  repu- 
tation : 

"Let  us  have  in  our  houses  a  room  where 
there  shall  be  space  to  carry  on  the  business  of 
life  ^freely  and  with  pleasure,  with  furniture 
made  for  use." 

In  much  the  same  spirit  is  the  ideal  fixed  by 
R.  de  Maulde  la  Claviere  of  "a  living  and  well- 
ordered  place,  where  the  accessory  does  not 
take  precedence  of  the  essential,  where  every 
object  has  its  own  place  and  its  specific  char- 
acter," and  where  there  is  "a  sentiment  of  unity, 
spaciousness  and  comfort." 

Individual  occupations  may  claim  the  library, 
studio  or  study;  the  little  children  and  older 
people  the  nursery  and  sitting  room;    but  the 

30 


THE   LIVING   ROOM 

living  room  is  distinctively  for  general  service, 
unique  in  usefulness,  its  realisation  a  continu- 
ous source  of  delight. 

In  homes  where  a  living  room  has  always 
existed,  life  without  it  seems  impossible.  Un- 
like other  rooms  that  may  be  completely  fur- 
nished from  the  outset,  the  living  room  is  a 
thing  of  growth.  It  may  begin  in  a  very  un- 
pretentious way  and  assume  importance  with 
time  and  the  development  of  family  interests, 
but  it  is  never  at  a  standstill  in  suggestiveness 
as  to  its  treatment. 

In  reconstructing  an  old  house  there  is  often 
an  opportunity  for  throwing  together  rooms  that 
are  too  small  for  use  by  themselves,  and  forming 
one  large  living  room.  Windows  may  be  added 
and  doorways  enlarged,  with  careful  attention 
paid  to  the  architectural  details.  In  one  such 
attempt  the  discovery  of  an  oak-beamed  ceiling 
made  a  delightful  starting  point  for  a  return 
to  an  earlier,  simpler  period  of  interior  work. 

In  another  house  a  dark  end  of  a  long  room 
was  lightened   by   inserting  three  windows  in 

3' 


HOME   FURNISHING 

a  row  and  opening  them  in  casement  fashion. 
Underneath  the  windows  a  set  of  bookshelves 
was  built  against  the  wall. 

Still  another  effort  at  remodelling  brought 
to  light  an  unused  fireplace  and  an  old  Franklin 
stove.  Both  were  returned  to  usefulness  and 
a  quaint,  cosy-looking  open  fire  was  the  result. 

"The  paper  of  the  room  in  which  we  live,'* 
says  a  writer,  "has  a  silent  but  irresistible  in- 
fluence upon  us."  Recognising  this,  the  walls 
of  the  living  room  will  receive  a  quiet  colour  of 
one,  two  or  three  tones,  the  choice  depending 
first  upon  the  woodwork  in  the  room,  then  upon 
the  floor  and  furniture  covering  to  be  used, 
with  due  attention  paid  always  to  the  amount 
of  light  and  the  direction  from  which  it  comes. 

In  selecting  a  two-toned  paper  a  geometrical 
or  conventional  pattern  set  closely  together  is 
more  pleasing  and  untiring  for  every-day  wear 
than  a  scattered  pattern  or  a  stripe.  In  a  plain 
colour  the  English  or  domestic  ingrains  may 
be  used,  or  one  of  the  thicker  materials  that 
are  sold  by  the  yard — burlap,  crash,  buckram, 

32 


y. 


o 


THE   LIVING   ROOM 

linen  or  jute.  Textile  fabrics  when  used  as  a 
wall  hanging  are  usually  tacked  to  a  narrow 
moulding  that  is  fitted  at  the  top  and  bottom  of 
the  wall. 

The  question  of  a  frieze  or  border  for  the 
living  room  is  easily  disposed  of  when  the  ceil- 
ing is  less  than  nine  feet.  No  ornamental  fm- 
ish  except  the  picture  moulding  is  then  needed 
at  the  cornice.  The  regular  frieze  made  to 
accompany  plain  papers  is  so  obtrusive  in 
design  and  distracting  in  colour  that  it  may  be 
discarded  for  a  living  room.  In  its  place  a 
figured  paper  intended  for  the  side  wall  may  be 
adopted  by  having  it  cut  into  strips  the  desired 
length  for  the  upper  wall. 

The  continuous  use  of  this  room  will  suggest 
a  rug  instead  of  a  carpet,  to  avoid  the  interrup- 
tions of  a  spring  or  fall  cleaning  time.  A  large 
rug  gives  a  sense  of  repose  that  is  not  accom- 
plished by  small  rugs,  and  minimises  the  care 
of  the  bare  floor,  but  sometimes  the  floor  lines 
are  so  irregular  that  a  rug  cannot  be  found  for 
the  uneven  spaces.     Then  the  velvet,  Brussels 

33 


HOME   FURNISHING 

or  Wilton  carpet  in  rug  patterns  may  be  sewed 
together  to  fit  the  floor,  the  border  following 
the  outside  edges  within  eighteen  inches  of  the 
wall. 

The  restraint  shown  in  selecting  the  colour 
and  pattern  for  the  wall  covering  of  the  living 
room  may  extend  also  to  the  floor  covering. 
If  mixed  colours  are  preferred  for  the  carpet 
or  rug,  they  may  be  in  soft  tones  in  an  unag- 
gressive pattern,  in  a  material  as  fine  as  is  con- 
sistent with  the  rest  of  the  furnishings.  The 
two-toned  effect  may  again  be  recommended  for 
this  room,  as  it  has  almost  the  full  charm  of  a 
plain  surface  with  more  practical  advantages. 

The  "livable"  element  would  be  defeated  if 
the  individual  requirements  of  the  family  were 
not  recognised  in  the  selection  of  the  furniture. 
Yet  a  preference  for  rockers,  Morris  chairs, 
low  seats  or  high  backs,  soft  cushions  or  hard 
wood  need  not  be  gratified  at  the  expense  of  a 
good  style,  for  a  wide  range  is  at  hand  from 
colonial  designs  to  the  modified  mission  of  the 
present  day. 

34 


THE   LIVING   ROOM 

An  English  fireside  chair  with  wings  or  "ears" 
against  which  to  lean  one's  head  for  forty  winks, 
is  a  picturesque  selection.  This  piece  may  be 
upholstered  in  a  needlework  tapestry,  woven, 
to  be  sure,  by  machine,  but  with  a  hint  of  the 
old-time  hand-work  on  its  texture.  A  plain, 
comfortable  rocker  is  not  easy  to  find,  but  one 
may  be  searched  for  in  a  flag  seat  or  an  uphol- 
stered seat  and  back,  that  is  not  too  ornate  for 
its  position.  The  test  of  an  easy  chair  is  wheth- 
er on  first  occupying  it  one  wishes  to  remain 
from  choice.  Applying  this  test  to  many  of 
the  so-called  "easy  chairs,"  in  considering  them 
for  the  living  room,  would  bar  out  a  large  per- 
centage that,  on  the  moment,  might  seem  ex- 
actly suitable. 

Stools  or  benches  of  willow  or  with  flag  scats, 
of  Moorish  make  or  in  plain  wood,  are  con- 
venient for  the  children,  and  two  floor  cushions 
that  may  be  laid  one  on  the  other  arc  easily 
provided.  The  cushions  may  be  covered  with 
corduroy  or  a  soft-finished  burlap,  or  a  tapestry 
in  well-mixed  colours. 

35 


HOME   FURNISHING 

In  a  living  room  extensive  enough  to  accom- 
modate a  swinging  settle  a  pretty  colour  effect 
may  be  accomplished  with  the  covers  of  down 
pillows.  Bulgarian  embroideries  may  be  cut 
into  squares  for  this  purpose,  or  some  Oriental 
patterns  made  on  the  loom  may  be  the  selection. 
The  swinging  settle  will  not,  however,  take  the 
place  of  a  lounge  or  divan,  and  the  utmost  com- 
fort may  be  reached  with  a  simple  frame  fitted 
with  springs  on  which  a  mattress  is  laid.  If 
such  a  divan  without  a  back  is  the  choice,  three 
stiff  pillows  filled  with  moss  or  hair  will  be 
needed  to  place  against  the  wall  and  as  a  brace 
for  some  soft  small  cushions.  A  fitted  cover 
may  be  made  for  a  divan,  with  a  box-plaited 
ruflfle  on  the  lower  edges  below  the  seat,  and 
the  large  back  pillow  may  be  covered  with  the 
material  of  the  cover.  With  such  a  cover  ma- 
terial by  the  yard  may  be  sought  for.  If  a 
regular  lounge  spread  is  preferred  the  plain 
one-colour  Bagdads  are  better  than  the  much- 
seen  five-stripe  variety.  The  modern  Kelim 
rugs  make  an  enduring  cover  for  a  lounge,  and 

36 


u 
< 

D 


w 
D 


as 


OS 

> 


THE   LIVING   ROOM 

Oriental  embroideries  on  red  or  green  cottons 
arc  attractive. 

A  writing  desk  or  secretary  is  one  of  the  ab- 
solute requirements  of  the  living  room.  One 
of  the  slope-front  desks  with  large  drawers 
below  the  lid  is  convenient,  or  a  writing  table 
with  an  open  top  and  pigeon-holes  may  be 
chosen.  In  a  large  household  more  than  one 
desk  or  writing  table  may  be  called  for. 

A  generous-sized  table,  round,  square  or  ob- 
long, will  afford  a  general  centre  for  reading 
and  evening  work,  but  other  small  stands  may 
be  added  for  individual  use  in  other  portions 
of  the  room.  A  card  table  to  fold  away  when 
not  in  use,  a  tip-table  reserved  for  the  tray  of 
tea,  a  sewing  stand  for  the  needle-worker  may 
be  noted  in  equipping  the  living  room  with 
tables. 

Bookshelves  will  naturally  be  provided  for 
this  room,  and  the  open  shelves  will  more 
readily  suit  the  conditions  than  the  closed 
cases.  If  standing  space  is  limited,  the  hang- 
ing shelves  may  be  fastened  to  or  built  against 

37 


HOME   FURNISHING 

the  upper  walls,  over  a  sofa  or  desk,  mantel  or 
table. 

Evening  enjoyment  of  the  living  room  will 
turn  upon  a  correct  lighting,  and  whatever 
medium  is  used  it  should  be  brought  low  enough 
to  do  away  with  eye-strain.  If  decorated  shades 
are  preferred  in  the  daytime  the  useful  plain 
ones  may  be  adopted  at  night. 

The  treatment  of  the  living-room  windows 
may  be  with  direct  reference  to  their  utility. 
This  may  be  achieved  by  studying  the  spaces 
for  light  and  air  and  suiting  the  drapery  to  the 
conditions.  The  simplest  curtaining  in  this 
room  is  the  best.  If  shutters  are  provided  a 
shade  is  not  imperative,  but  long  or  three- 
quarter  hangings  (the  latter  coming  to  the  sill) 
may  be  pushed  aside  in  the  daylight  hours  and 
drawn  in  the  evening. 

Sometimes  a  semi-transparent  curtain  is  more 
fitting  than  either  a  thin  material  or  an  opaque 
goods.  Embroidered  madras  or  a  stained  glass 
net  will  give  a  characteristic  touch  to  the  living 
room  windows.    An  all-over  stencilling  on  or^ 

38 


THE   LIVING   ROOM 

gandie  or  rough-finished  silk  makes  an  unu- 
sual, attractive  curtain,  or  home  talent  may 
embroider  and  hemstitch  scrim  or  canvas. 

In  some  homes  a  lack  of  ideas  is  evidenced 
in  having  the  door  hangings  exactly  like  the 
over-curtains    for    the    windows.     The    object 
of  the  two  is  something  alike,  but  their  positions 
are  quite  different.     A  material  that  hangs  in 
soft  folds  may  be  made  up  for  the  portiere,  of 
a  single  or  a  double-faced  goods  according  to 
the  plan  to  be  carried  out.     There  is  a  larger 
variety  always  in  the  single-faced  upholstery 
goods.     A  figured  effect  will  be  a  relief  at  the 
doonvays  if  the  walls  are  plain,  and  a  plain 
hanging  will  balance  walls  that  are  strikingly 
patterned;  but    harmonious    tones    and    good 
designs  that  have  some  affinity  for  the  wood- 
work and  walls  will  be  the  surest   means  for 
securing  artistic  rooms.     No  loopings  nor  fes- 
toons are  desirable,  but  the  mechanical  contriv- 
ances for  correct  hanging  and  smooth  running 
should  not  be  given  up  on  account  of    their 
expense. 

39 


HOME   FURNISHING 

A  fireplace  for  the  living  room  is  a  foregone 
conclusion  to  every  home  builder  of  our  times; 
but  when  a  rented  house  without  provision  for 
a  fire  on  the  hearth  seems  to  eliminate  this 
feature  it  is  well  to  inquire  into  the  substitutes 
that  are  on  the  market  in  gas  logs  that  do  not 
demand  chimney  or  flue,  and  Franklin  stoves 
that  may  be  set  with  only  a  chimney  hole. 

In  an  old  house  that  had  seen  Revolutionary 
days  the  fire  on  the  hearth  was  never  allowed 
to  become  quite  extinguished  in  summer  or 
winter,  and  the  presence  of  the  warm  ashes 
made  an  easy  re-kindling  of  the  fire  scarcely 
a  moment's  work.  The  homely  adjunct  of  an 
iron  crane  suits  the  living-room  fireplace,  and 
if,  at  either  side,  there  is  a  little  hob,  the  water 
kettle  will  find  a  convenient  resting  place  when 
not  in  use. 

There  is  a  more  intimate  enjoyment  of  pic- 
tures in  the  living  room  than  in  any  other  part 
of  the  house,  and  each  selection  may  well  be 
made  with  this  fact  in  mind.  If  water  colours, 
pastels  or  oil  paintings  are  out  of  question  from 

40 


THE   LIVING   ROOM 

their  cost,  there  are  many  satisfying  prints  in 
colour  and  in  monotones.  Some  of  the  tinted 
engravings  or  the  carbon  copies  of  the  old  and 
new  masters  are  less  hackneyed  than  the  copies 
of  popular  paintings. 

An  inexpensive  decoration  was  made  for  the 
walls  of  a  living  room  with  three  or  four  full- 
page  coloured  illustrations  from  a  high-class 
magazine,  by  placing  them  under  a  gold  mat 
with  a  narrow  gold  frame. 


41 


V 

THE   LIBRARY 

Although  the  distinguishing  mark  of  the 
library  is  its  collection  of  books  attractively 
arranged,  one  sometimes  finds  a  room  desig- 
nated by  this  title  in  which  there  is  a  conspicu- 
ous absence  of  well-filled  shelves 

"Where  genius  lies  enshrined, 
Where  reign  in  silent  majesty 
The  monarchs  of  the  mind." 

The  library,  more  than  any  other  room  in 
the  home,  repays  a  generous  expenditure  of 
money.  On  the  other  hand,  with  taste  and 
judgment,  it  may  be  fitted  up  effectively  in 
quite  simple  fashion. 

A  colour  effect  should  not  be  as  dominating 
in  the  library  as  in  the  other  parts  of  the  house, 
although  it  should  be  carefully  planned  not 
only  to  be  correct  in  itself  but  to  unite  harmo- 
niously with  the  schemes  of  adjoining  rooms. 

42 


THE    LIBRARY 

Bright  colours  should  be  avoided  on  walls, 
furniture  and  floors  and  at  the  windows. 
Greens,  blues,  buffs  and  browns,  in  their  many 
tones,  are  the  most  feasible  colours  to  draw 
from. 

The  blending  of  colours  in  this  room  may 
be  more  subtle  than  in  the  other  living  rooms. 
A  study  of  the  tones  in  the  autumn  scenery 
will  be  suggestive  for  colour  combinations  in 
the  library;  the  deeper  shades  for  the  floor, 
woodwork  and  furniture,  the  medium  ones  for 
window  hangings,  and  the  lightest  for  walls  and 
small  decorations. 

White  woodw--rk  makes  too  vivid  a  contrast 
with  everything  with  which  it  comes  in  contact 
to  be  a  restful  element  in  the  library.  A  warm 
dark  grey  or  a  dark  sage  green  is  a  better  cover- 
ing when  paint  must  be  applied  to  the  wood 
finish.  The  hard  woods  that  take  a  quiet  finish 
of  green  or  brown  impart  a  feeling  of  wood 
texture  that  cannot  be  given  by  paint.  Some 
new  dull  finishes  for  soft  woods  are  welcomed 
in  homes  where  cost  is  a  serious  consideration. 

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HOME   FURNISHING 

If  the  walls  of  the  library  are  too  decorative 
in  their  treatment,  either  with  the  paper  or 
pictures,  the  main  object  of  the  room,  namely, 
to  furnish  the  means  for  mental  concentration, 
is  destroyed.  A  self-eJBfacing  pattern  in  two 
tones  or  two  quiet  contrasting  colours  may 
realise  better,  perhaps,  than  a  plain  colour  the 
ideal  covering  for  the  library  wall.  In  libraries 
that  are  wainscoted  with  wooden  panels  or  book- 
shelves, the  wall  space  above  may  be  hung  with 
cotton  or  wool  tapestry  in  verdure  designs  and 
colourings,  or  with  the  heavy  pressed  paper 
that  resembles  leather,  stencilled  grass  cloth  or 
figured  burlap. 

If  the  wall  is  to  be  covered  from  floor  to  ceil- 
ing with  a  paper,  a  close-set  pattern  or  a  stripe 
in  two  tones  of  one  colour  will  prove  satisfac- 
tory. A  frieze  or  border  in  the  library,  unless 
the  ceiling  is  high,  affords  unnecessary  and 
distracting  decoration. 

The  pictures  for  the  library  walls  ought  not 
to  exact  too  much  attention,  yet  each  should 
have  sufficient  interest  to  qualify  it  for  its  posi- 

44 


THE    LIBRARY 

tion.  Paintings  of  landscapes  or  marines  arc 
usually  reposeful  in  composition  and  tone. 
Portraits  of  celebrated  authors,  plaster  reliefs 
and  busts  of  the  same,  and  pictures  of  the  homes 
of  great  literary  characters  are  also  desirable 
acquisitions. 

After  the  walls  and  woodwork,  the  book- 
shelves should  receive  a  first  consideration  in 
planning  a  library  interior.  In  style,  quantity 
and  placing,  the  shelves  should  conform  to  the 
proportions  of  the  room,  its  occupants'  interests 
and  the  remaining  furnishings. 

In  Sir  Walter  Scott's  library  at  Abbotsford 
nearly  the  entire  wall  space  is  set  with  book- 
shelves. Charles  Dickens,  too,  worked  in  a 
room  completely  surrounded  with  volumes. 
Non-professional  people,  however,  without  the 
demands  of  authorship,  may  utilise  wall  space 
for  general  comfort,  instead  of  fitting  it  with 
vast  accumulations  of  literature. 

Among  the  appointments  of  the  home  library 
a  desk  chair  of  the  proper  height  for  writing 
is  always  needed,  and  reading  or  study  chairs 

45 


HOME   FURNISHING 

may  be  selected  to  fit  individual  demands.  The 
Morris  chair  in  its  original  character  as  an  un- 
decorated,  adjustable  armchair  is  an  excellent 
choice  for  the  library,  and  there  are  many  new 
shapes  on  the  mission  order  or  modified  from 
the  mission  lines. 

A  library  sofa,  to  be  suited  to  its  location, 
should  be  dignified  in  style,  upholstered  in 
durable,  unaggressive-coloured  material.  The 
idea  of  comfort  need  not,  however,  with  these 
conditions,  be  discarded. 

A  writing  desk  and  study  table  are,  of  course, 
essential.  As  the  fancy  lines  of  the  French 
furniture,  and  some  of  our  own  designs,  also, 
do  not  accord  with  the  serious  purpose  of  this 
apartment,  the  selection  may  be  taken  from  the 
early  English,  Dutch  or  colonial  forms  or  our 
own  mission  patterns.  The  old-fashioned  writ- 
ing desks  with  sloping  fronts  are  so  much  de- 
sired that  reproductions  of  them  are  being  made, 
and  whether  new  or  old  the  type  is  dignified 
and  well-suited  to  the  library. 

A  study  table  must  be  for  general  usefulness, 

46 


THE   LIBRARY 

of  good  size  and  strongly  constructed.  The 
gate-leg,  or  thousand-legged  table -of  the  seven- 
teenth century,  oblong  in  shape  when  all  of  the 
legs  are  supporting  the  top,  is  historically 
interesting  and  convenient  for  the  library.  It 
was  on  a  table  of  this  kind  that  the  Declara- 
tion of  Independence  was  signed. 
•^  A  steel  frame  for  holding  a  large  dictionary 
is  a  practical  article  for  the  library.  A  stand 
to  hold  a  complete  set  of  encyclopaedias,  and 
a  revolving  bookcase  for  reference  works  may 
also  be  near  at  hand.  A  chest  of  shallow  draw- 
ers with  labels  attached  on  the  outside  is  one 
of  the  best  systems  for  preserving  newspaper 
clippings,  prints  and  memoranda  in  classified 
form.  So  many  modern  conveniences  for  the 
student  are  thought  of  nowadays  that  the 
library  may  become  a  literary  workshop  without 
interior  confusion. 

A  poorly  lighted  library  defeats  the  purpose 
for  which  it  has  been  set  apart,  and  a  full  pnv 
vision  of  lamps  and  drop-lights  is  required  f(jr 
every  part  of  the  room  that  is  occupied  in  the 

47 


HOME  FURNISHING 

evening.  The  chandelier  may  be  given  up  in 
this  room,  and  if  a  table  is  placed  in  the  centre 
of  the  room,  a  double  student  lamp  will  radiate 
a  soft,  pleasant  light  in  all  directions.  A  white 
shade  gives  the  strongest  light,  and  green,  in 
a  light  or  a  dark  tone,  is  pleasant  for  continued 
use. 

A  carpeted  floor,  although  it  may  be  avoided 
in  other  parts  of  the  home,  prevents  noise  and 
gives  a  feeling  of  space,  and  in  the  library  these 
points  make  its  admission  worth  considering, 
even  when  rugs  are  the  rule  in  other  parts  of 
the  house.  A  plain  colour  may  be  chosen  from 
the  wool  fillings  in  the  domestic  make  or  the 
English  kind,  or  a  velvet  or  Wilton  may  be 
chosen.  Mottled  efiiects  or  two-toned  carpets 
come  very  near  to  the  plain  colour,  and  in 
patterns  there  are  small,  compact  figures  in 
three  colours  and  copies  of  antique  rugs. 

The  full  allowance  of  window  light  may  be 
granted  ungrudgingly  to  the  library,  and  what- 
ever curtaining  is  chosen  it  should  be  so  ad- 
justed that  it  may  be  swung  entirely  away  from 

48 


THE   LIBRARY 

the  glass.  Thick  curtains  to  draw  at  night 
in  cold  weather  will  insure  more  than  any  other 
furnishing  in  this  room  a  cosy,  withdrawn 
feeling. 

A  fireplace  that  is  designed  for  the  library 
should  carry  in  its  architectural  lines  and  facing 
of  brick  or  tiles  the  simplicity  that  if  attained 
in  other  parts  of  the  room  creates  a  restful 
atmosphere  for  the  student.  A  seat  built  near 
the  hearth,  or  a  settle  drawn  to  one  side  of  the 
fire  with  cushions  and  footstool  makes  a  picture 
of  fireside  comfort. 


49 


VI 

THE   DEN 

The  den  has  become  a  permanent  feature 
in  the  modern  home,  its  adaptabiHty  to  the 
special  needs  of  each  household  warranting 
its  continued  popularity. 

In  recalling  the  primitive  styles  of  furnishing 
in  this  country,  the  lack  of  any  one  room  cosily 
fitted  is  noticeable.  The  need  for  such  a  place, 
however,  has  wrought  out  by  a  gradual  evolu- 
tion the  den  of  to-day.  Sometimes  one  sees 
this  room  treated  in  too  luxurious  fashion  to  be 
consistent  with  its  surroundings,  and  sometimes 
one  finds  it  destitute  of  comfort  or  attraction. 

The  development  of  the  den  may  be  along 
more  elastic  lines  than  are  permitted  in  any 
other  part  of  the  home.  An  odd  piece  of  fur- 
niture, a  quaint  contrivance  for  comfort,  some 
unique  ornament,  may  be  admitted  without 
the  especial  endeavour  for  harmony  that  is  de- 

50 


a, 
as 


as 

o 
o 

a 


H 
> 

o 


THE   DEN 

sirable  in  the  other  parts  of  the  house.  In  one 
home  a  door  harp  was  fastened  on  the  inside 
of  the  door  to  announce,  by  its  musical  vibra- 
tion, the  in-comer. 

The  den  may  belong  exclusively  to  the  man 
of  the  house,  or  it  may  be  used  generally  by  the 
entire  family.  Sometimes  the  den  is  made  an 
evening  sitting  room  for  the  parents  or  older 
members  of  the  family,  where  they  may  read, 
write  or  work  without  interruption.  When  a 
den  is  to  be  fitted  up  only  for  a  man  its  details 
should  be  typically  masculine.  Here  the  con- 
struction of  the  mission  furniture,  the  rich, 
deep  tones  of  its  brown  or  green  finish,  and  its 
expression  of  simplicity  and  comfort  will  im- 
part a  style  by  which  the  den  is  differentiated 
from  the  rest  of  the  rooms.  If  the  den  may 
not  have  all  its  furniture  of  this  variety  a  writing 
table  or  settle  may  be  introduced. 

A  mixture  of  Oriental  decorations  with  the 
mission  furniture  is  not  advisable  on  account 
of  their  total  dissimilarity.  A  better  idea  is 
to  secure  some  decorations  from  our  own  North 

51 


HOME   FURNISHING 

American  Indians,  rugs,  pottery  and  baskets, 
each  offering  a  field  rich  in  national  and  artistic 
interest.  A  Navajo  blanket  of  bright  colours 
when  hung  against  the  wall  will  look  brilliant 
by  artificial  light;  or  it  may  be  made  of  util- 
itarian value  if  thrown  on  a  lounge  for  a  cover, 
or  laid  on  the  floor  as  a  rug.  Some  of  the  old 
Indian  blankets,  their  gay  colours  subdued  by 
time  to  a  dull  softness,  are  preserved  as  curi- 
osities and  valued  at  hundreds  of  dollars. 

The  Moki  Indians  of  Arizona  are  celebrated 
as  basket  makers,  and  the  antique  specimens 
of  their  craft,  like  the  old  blankets  of  the  Nava- 
jos,  are  sought  after  by  collectors.  The  pottery 
made  by  the  Pueblos  is  quaint  in  colouring  and 
primitive  in  design,  a  fitting  ornament  for  the 
shelves  of  the  den. 

A  small,  light  table  that  may  be  easily  moved 
to  catch  the  changing  daylight  is  a  useful  piece 
of  furniture  for  one  who  sews  or  works  in  the 
den.  Shelves  for  holding  books  are  as  much 
needed  as  in  the  library,  although  they  need  not 
be  as  expensive  nor  in  the  quantity  that  the 

52 


THE   DEN 

latter  claims  by  right  of  its  being  a  book  room. 
A  convenient  furnishing  for  the  den  is  found  in 
the  table-settle,  a  design  that  had  its  origin  in 
Puritan  days  when  it  did  double  duty  as  a  seat 
and  as  a  table.  In  the  course  of  time  it  made 
its  way  into  the  kitchen,  where  it  became  popu- 
lar as  an  ironing  table.  Its  simplicity  of  con- 
struction, in  accord  with  the  present  tendency 
toward  a  plainer  style  of  furniture,  has  brought 
the  table-settle  fonvard  again.  Its  double 
service  has  been  increased  by  the  addition  of  a 
space  under  the  seat  for  holding  small  articles. 
If  bought  in  the  unfinished  wood,  the  settle 
may  be  covered  with  stain  or  paint,  decorated 
by  burning  in  a  design,  or  it  may  be  cushioned 
and  the  back  hung  with  a  tapestry  panel. 

One  of  the  common  mistakes  made  in  equip- 
ping a  den  is  to  turn  in  upon  it  all  the  odds  and 
ends  of  furniture  that  have  proved  unsuccessful 
in  other  parts  of  the  home.  When  the  den  occu- 
pies a  place  on  the  second  floor  this  condition 
is  more  prevalent  than  when  it  is  located  on  the 
main  floor.    The  characteristics  of  a  garret  arc 

53 


HOME   FURNISHING 

by  this  method  introduced  into  the  den,  to  the 
exclusion  of  anything  that  is  quaint  or  suitable. 

The  expense  of  a  thorough  refurnishing  of 
the  den  may  be  lessened  if  the  really  good 
pieces  of  furniture  are  retained  as  a  starting 
point.  For  instance,  in  one  home  a  jumble 
of  modern  and  antique  furniture  was  carefully 
sorted  over,  and  every  article  belonging  to  the 
first  class  was  eliminated.  The  walls  were 
treated  to  a  bufi-coloured  kalsomine,  and  the 
woodwork  was  painted  a  French  grey  similar  to 
that  now  on  the  hall  woodwork  of  President 
Washington's  old  home  at  Mt.  Vernon.  The 
floor  was  also  painted  in  the  same  colour  as  the 
woodwork  and  a  large  rug  made  of  rag  carpet- 
ing. At  the  windows  a  bright  chintz  was  hung 
over  buff-coloured  shades,  and  with  these  few 
changes  the  room  presented  an  old-time  air 
in  which  nothing  was  out  of  harmony. 

Another  room,  with  a  north,  disagreeable 
lighting,  walnut  furniture  and  blue  paper,  had 
never  realised  the  expectations  of  the  household. 
A  change  for  the  better  was  made  by  covering 

54 


THE   DEN 

the  walls  with  a  yellow  ingrain  paper,  and  ap- 
plying to  the  ceiling  a  figured  paper  in  two 
tones  of  the  same  colour.  The  woodwork  was 
painted  white,  and  a  narrow  shelf  for  bric-a-brac 
was  attached  to  the  side  wall.  Some  blue  plates 
made  a  happy  contrast  against  the  wall  paper, 
and  brass  fire-pieces  brightened  the  hearth. 
Over  a  yellow  floor  covering  of  wool  filling 
some  Indian  dhurrie  rugs  in  colours  repeating 
the  blue  of  the  pottery  and  the  white  of  the 
wood- work,  with  an  assertive  little  touch  of  red, 
were  laid. 

If  a  den  is  to  be  occupied  in  either  the  day- 
time or  in  the  evening  its  furnishings  should 
be  chosen  with  this  in  mind;  for  carpets  and 
rugs  that  are  pleasing  by  gaslight  are  often 
disappointing  by  day,  and  the  same  may  be 
said  of  furniture  covering,  wall  hangings  and 
draperies.  Green  is  a  particularly  changeful 
colour,  and  red  shares  a  good  deal  of  the  same 
trait.  Yellow,  while  often  selected  by  the  in- 
experienced for  its  light-producing  quality, 
is  in  certain  shades  anything  but  satisfactory. 

55 


HOME   FURNISHING 

Blue  that  is  successful  in  the  evening  is,  again, 
unpleasantly  harsh  in  the  sunlight. 

Furniture  that  is  made  especially  for  the  den 
by  manufacturers  is  usually  brought  out  from 
the  dealer's  standpoint,  and  may  not  be  capable 
of  meeting  the  need  of  the  householder.  The 
best  choice  is  that  designed  to  meet  the  demand 
created  for  it  by  those  occupying  the  den. 
This  feature  alone  gives  individuality  to  the 
room,  especially  when  it  is  in  possession  of  a 
man  with  a  hobby.  A  collection  of  old  armour 
requires  wainscoting  and  panels  of  simple 
pattern  for  its  display;  minerals  and  insects 
must  have  proper  cases;  pictures  and  books 
their  own  background. 

With  any  one  of  these  interests  present  the 

den  achieves  something  more  than  is  attained 

by  mere  furnishings  however  well  chosen,  and 

the   masculine   tendency   towards   severity   of 

style,  "things  that  will  wash,"  and  articles  that 

do  not  gather  dust  contributes  a  significance 

to  this  room  that  is  unrealised  in  other  parts  of 

the  home. 

56 


VII 

THE   MUSIC    ROOM 

A  MUSIC  room,  to  descrv'c  its  title,  should 
be  furnished  with  a  sympathetic  understanding 
of  the  art  for  which  it  stands.  The  first  pro- 
vision is,  naturally,  for  the  performer.  The 
placing  of  the  piano  is  of  importance,  and  the 
best  rule  to  follow  is  that  observed  on  the  con- 
cert stage,  where  the  soprano  part  of  the  key- 
board is  always  toward  the  listeners. 

If  the  upright  piano  can  be  placed  at  an  angle 
from  the  wall  without  too  much  isolation  for 
the  player,  the  acoustic  effects  will  be  better 
than  if  the  instrument  stands  close  to  the  wall. 
The  first  arrangement  is  practicable  only  in  a 
room  of  good  size,  with  window  and  artificial 
light  conveniently  distributed.  The  back  of 
a  piano  so  situated  must  have  some  kind  of 
light  opafjue  drapery  to  conceal  the  works. 

The  true  music  lover  will  do  away  with  all 
bric-a-brac  from  the  toj)  of  the  piano,  as  this 

57 


HOME  FURNISHING 

is  liable  to  cause  a  distracting  jingle  and  vibra- 
tion of  the  strings.  For  protecting  the  polished 
surface  of  the  lid  an  embroidered  scarf  may  be 
laid  upon  it.  If  the  instrument  must  be  left 
for  a  long  time  in  a  closed  house,  it  is  worth 
while  to  buy  a  rubber  cover  to  keep  off  the 
dampness. 

A  piano  stool  is  sold  with  the  piano,  but  many 
persons  prefer  the  revolving  chair,  and  with 
graceful  spindles  for  the  back  and  lines  of  inlay 
the  latter  is  a  more  pleasing  article  of  furniture. 
In  a  home  where  there  is  duet  playing,  a  bench 
for  two  players  will  be  found  more  satisfactory 
than  two  stools  or  chairs. 

The  keeping  of  music  in  orderly  fashion 
away  from  the  dust  can  be  achieved  only  with 
a  cabinet  having  doors — a  point  that,  in  some 
music  cabinets;  is  overlooked.  One  of  the  new 
devices  for  a  music  cabinet  is  to  have  two  small 
doors  open  simultaneously,  and  on  the  inside 
of  each  door  a  ledge  corresponding  with  the 
inside  supports  for  the  shelves  on  which  the 
shelves  may  be  rested  when  drawn  out. 

58 


THE   MUSIC   ROOM 

The  lighting  of  the  piano,  when  gas  and 
electricity  cannot  be  employed,  is  a  problem. 
A  small  hand  lamp  with  a  shield  on  one  side  is 
made  for  the  grand  piano,  and  candlesticks 
are  attached  to  the  upright  panels  of  the  cottage 
piano.  A  standard  lamp  in  brass  or  wrought 
iron  can  be  used  close  to  the  piano.  Lamp 
shades  are  better  if  nearly  colourless. 

After  the  performer's  requirements  are  as- 
sured that  of  the  listener  may  receive  atten- 
tion. Seats  that  are  restful  and  a  light  that  is 
pleasantly  tempered  are  the  two  main  consider- 
ations, but  the  musical  environment  is  not  com- 
plete without  the  introduction  of  some  plaster 
casts,  bronzes,  pictures  and  books.  These, 
if  selected  from  musical  subjects,  will  impart 
educational  and  artistic  value  to  the  room. 

All  decorative  effect  in  a  music  room  should 
be  subordinate  to  the  use  to  which  the  room 
is  given.  A  harmony  of  colour  is  as  imperative 
as  the  musical  harmony  produced  by  instru- 
ments or  voices.  The  single-colour  scheme, 
in  which  red,  green,  blue  or  yellow  alone  is 

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HOME  FURNISHING 

used  throughout  the  room,  is  too  dominant  for 
the  room  allotted  to  music.  A  better  plan  is  a 
diffusion  of  colours  in  a  low  key. 

There  are  numberless  fabrics  besides  papers 
and  burlaps  that  will  make  rich  and  quiet  hang- 
ings for  the  walls — Japanese  printed  cottons, 
velveteens,  jutes,  linens  and  tapestries.  While 
a  plain  colour  may  seem  essential,  the  prefer- 
ence may  fall  equally  well  to  a  design  in  a  self- 
woven  texture,  or  a  pattern  that  is  printed  in 
another  tone  of  the  same  colour  as  the  back- 
ground. 

If  the  side-walls  are  over  ten  feet  high,  the  up- 
per part  may  be  decorated  with  a  wide  English 
border  pictorial  in  motive,  or  a  plain  colour 
may  have  a  conventional  pattern  painted  upon 
it  with  a  stencil.  The  plaster  relief  work  that 
is  made  here  and  across  the  water  gives  the 
Elizabethan  effect  when  applied  to  a  ceiling, 
and  when  it  is  brought  in  touch  with  the  wall 
paper  by  the  right  tinting  it  produces  an  appro- 
priate decoration  for  the  music  room.  This 
plaster  work  is   also  employed  on  the  lower 

60 


THE   MUSIC   ROOM 

wall  as  a  wainscot,  or  on  the  upper  part  for  a 
border. 

As  important  as  the  fireplace  is  in  every  divi- 
sion of  the  house,  it  offers  in  the  music  room  an 
unrivalled  opportunity  for  characteristic  treat- 
ment. A  capable  architect  will  not  pass  by 
such  a  chance  without  originating  something 
worthy  of  attention,  but  in  a  home  where  the 
conventional  mantel  is  already  in  possession 
the  only  recourse  is  to  add  some  attractive 
picture  or  plaster  relief  above  the  mantel.  The 
famous  Delia  Robbia  singing  children,  in  one, 
two,  or  three  plaster  panels,  may  be  framed  like 
the  woodwork  and  fitted  into  the  wall,  or  a 
photographic  copy  of  some  mural  painting 
relating  to  the  art  of  music  may  be  procured. 

A  set  of  portraits  of  musicians  and  composers 
makes  a  stronger  appeal  when  hung  close  to- 
gether than  when  distributed  in  various  parts 
of  the  room.  Narrow,  dark  wood  frames  in 
uniform  sizes  will  further  set  off  the  little  gallery 
of  famous  faces. 

On  the  selection  of  furniture  depends  a  large 

6i 


HOME   FURNISHING 

share  of  the  distinctive  quality  that  should 
mark  the  interior  of  the  music  room.  The 
pictures  may  be  noteworthy,  the  instruments 
of  the  highest  class,  the  colouring  harmonious, 
yet  a  pervading  sense  of  something  wanting 
means  that  the  furniture  must  be  inartistic. 
The  chairs  should  be  well-built  and  of  varying 
shapes  and  sizes.  Rocking-chairs  may  be 
omitted.  Tables  may  be  placed  wherever  they 
will  be  of  service  for  holding  books,  flowers 
or  music.  Small  rugs,  not  too  heavy  in  weight, 
and  door  and  window  draperies  as  light  as 
practicable  will  not  lessen  the  sound  of  the  in- 
struments or  voices  enough  to  be  given  up  for 
technical  reasons. 


62 


VIII 

THE   BATHROOM 

The  Order  of  the  Bath,  as  a  military  honour, 
was  instituted  by  King  George  I  in  1725;  the 
earlier  Order  of  this  name,  however,  dates  back 
to  1399,  when  the  knights  who  received  it  were 
really  treated  to  a  bath  as  a  token  of  their  re- 
generation. 

We  are  so  accustomed  nowadays  to  the  facil- 
ities for  personal  cleanliness  that  the  pomp  and 
ceremony  of  King  Henry  IV's  Order  seems 
absurd.  Yet  the  perfection  of  our  present-day 
jjlumbing  and  bathroom  appurtenances  has 
been  attained  only  by  degrees,  each  year  record- 
ing still  further  improvements. 

The  bathroom  equipment,  while  recognised 
as  an  important  factor  in  preserving  the  family's 
health,  does  not  arouse  as  much  interest  as  it 
deserves.     When  expense  is  not  considered,  a 

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HOME  FURNISHING 

bathroom  may  have  an  outfit  that  is  the  perfec- 
tion of  exquisite  style.  In  homes  of  more 
moderate  cost  the  aim  should  be  to  have  fewer, 
if  any,  of  the  luxuries,  but  of  the  necessaries  the 
very  best. 

In  addition  to  the  long  bathtub  so  generally 
seen,  there  are  extra  tubs  made  for  the  shower 
bath,  sitting  bath  and  foot  bath,  besides  an 
arrangement  for  a  shampoo  bath  that  consists 
of  an  attachment  that  fits  over  the  long  tub. 

The  lavatory  in  the  highest  class  of  plumb- 
ing is  made  in  one  piece  of  iron  and  enamelled 
to  prevent  the  lodgement  of  dust  or  germs  that 
carry  disease.  While  the  lavatory  would  seem 
to  ofier  little  opportunity  for  variety  of  design, 
there  is,  nevertheless,  quite  a  number  of  round, 
oval,  square  and  oblong  patterns  made.  One 
of  the  latest,  interesting  from  a  sanitary  and 
artistic  point,  is  in  marked  contrast  to  the 
older  forms  and  is  cast  in  two  pieces  which  are 
joined  and  then  enamelled,  making  an  abso- 
lutely unbroken  surface.  For  a  very  compact 
bathroom,  with  the  usual  fittings  of  tub,  wash- 

64 


THE    BATHROOM 

stand  and  toilet,  there  is  an  adjustable  seat  to 
attach  to  the  tub  for  a  foot  bath.  This  may 
be  taken  away  when  not  in  use. 

The  shower  bath  has  been  until  quite  recently 
a  luxury  rcser\'ed  for  those  who  could  build  it 
into  their  own  houses.  A  new  portable  shower 
bath  enables  even  the  temporary  resident  of 
a  rented  house,  or  a  summer  or  winter  boarder, 
to  own  his  own  personal  apparatus  and  carry 
it  around  with  him.  The  curtain  is  made  of 
soft  white  rubber  that  folds  back  when  not 
in  use.  The  frame  is  of  nickel-plated  tubing, 
requiring  only  two  nails  or  screws  driven  into 
the  wall  for  its  adjustment. 

The  floors  of  a  bathroom  should  not  be  c*- 
petcd.  If  the  wood  is  not  right  for  a  partial 
covering  with  a  mat  or  rug,  the  entire  surface 
may  be  covered  with  oilcloth,  inlaid  linoleum, 
or  rubber  tiling;  or  a  thin  wood  carpet  may  be 
laid  over  the  old  one.  In  building  a  new  bath- 
room a  tiled  floor  is  better  than  wood. 

Some  .special  rugs  are  made  up  for  the  bath- 
room in  wool,  having  a  mottled  centre  with  a  bor- 

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HOME   FURNISHING 

der  of  the  same  colours  used  in  the  centre — blue- 
and-white,  green-and-white  or  red-and-white. 
Cheaper  ones  are  manufactured  in  cotton,  and 
sometimes  a  Turkish  towelling  is  laid  on  the 
floor  for  each  bather.  Japanese  jute  rugs  have 
been  bought  for  the  bathroom  on  account  of 
their  small  cost,  but  the  harsh  material  proves 
unpleasant  to  the  feet.  The  revived  interest 
in  rag-carpet  weaving  has  brought  out  some  of 
the  old-fashioned  hit-or-miss  patterns  in  good 
colours  that  are  suited  to  the  floor  of  the  bath- 
room. These  are  satisfying  to  the  aesthetic 
taste  when  the  colours  respond  to  the  tones  of 
the  woodwork.  Another  recommendation  is 
tKfeir  ability  to  stand  laundering. 

Bathroom  walls,  in  the  better  grade  of  houses, 
have  a  wainscot  five  or  five-and-a-half  feet  high 
of  wood  or  tile.  Sometimes  a  white  cement  is 
marked  off  in  four-inch  squares  to  give  the  ap- 
pearance of  tiles.  The  wall  space  above  is 
then  painted  or  papered,  the  first  being  the 
more  durable  and  sanitary  finish.  If  decora- 
tion is  desired  on  the  plain  wall,  a  stencil  border 

66 


THE   BATHROOM 

in  darker  tints  may  be  applied.  If  the  regular 
varnished  bathroom  paper  is  adopted,  its  ground 
work  should  correspond  with  the  colour  of  the 
woodwork;  that  is,  a  cream-white  paper  will 
look  better  with  cream-white  woodwork  than 
one  or  the  other  of  a  blue-white  with  cream- 
white  in  conjunction. 

A  bathroom  entirely  in  white,  in  the  ivory 
tone,  is  the  favourite  treatment  for  the  ideal 
home.  A  touch  of  colour  may  appear  at  the 
top  of  the  wainscot  in  a  line  of  blue,  yellow, 
pink  or  green  tiling,  and  the  rug  may  repeat 
the  same  colour  in  larger  quantities.  By  keep- 
ing to  one  colour  in  the  limited  sphere  of  the 
bathroom  a  better  result  is  achieved  than  with 
a  mixture  of  two  or  three  colours.  Blue  is 
generally  chosen  for  the  bathroom,  but  other 
colours  will  blend  as  well  with  white  paint. 

The  older  styles  of  bathroom  papers  have 
the  tiled  patterns  familiar  to  us  all,  but  some 
new  imported  papers  have  flowered  designs, 
windmill  scenes,  sea-gulls  flying  over  deep  seas 
and  pond-lilies  on   still  waters.     Sometimes  n 

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HOME   FUP.NISHING 

bathroom  of  good  size  is  treated  as  a  dressing 
room,  and  if  the  walls  are  covered  with  the  same 
paper  that  is  put  on  the  walls  of  the  sleeping 
room  a  transparent  varnish  will  be  needed  to  pro- 
tect the  dressing  room  walls  from  the  dampness. 

The  regular  linen  closet  should  be  separate 
from  the  bathroom,  but  a  small  closet  for  the 
especial  linen  of  the  bathroom  may  be  intro- 
duced into  the  walls  or  fastened  in  a  corner.  A 
medicine  closet  is  sometimes  sunk  into  the  wall 
of  a  bathroom  and  the  door  fitted  with  a  mirror. 
A  washstand  in  a  bathroom  may  have  a  centre 
mirror  and  one  at  each  side,  placed  in  a  slanting 
position  to  afford  assistance  in  dressing  the  hair. 

Nickel-plated  bars  are  made  for  hanging 
towels  in  the  bathroom,  and  there  are  also 
straight  rests  for  laying  down  towels  in  a  quan- 
tity. Baskets  of  nickel  plate  are  also  made  to 
receive  soiled  linen.  In  selecting  towelling  for 
the  bathroom  the  larger  sizes  are  not  apt  to  be 
overlooked,  but  it  is  advisable  also  to  have  an 
abundance  of  small-sized  towels  for  hand- 
washing that  may  be  used  once  and  discarded. 

68 


THE   BATHROOM 

In  curtaininii  a  bathroom  window  two  cur- 
tains  should  be  made  up,  so  that  a  fresh  one 
may  always  be  on  hand.  Wliitc  muslin  of  a 
sheer,  dainty  pattern  may  be  chosen,  or  a  plain 
hemstitched  linen.  If  leaded  glass  can  be 
afforded  for  this  room  a  plain  colour,  clear  or 
opaque  as  preferred,  will  make  a  more  refined 
interior  than  the  garish  coloured  glass  usually 
specified  for  a  bathroom. 

Besides  the  stationary  belongings  of  the  bath- 
room— tubs,  shower  bath,  lavatory,  and  closet 
— there  should  be  in  the  complete  outfit  for  this 
room  a  soap-dish,  sponge- holder,  soiled-linen 
basket,  tumbler-holder,  robe-hook,  match-box 
and  toilet-paper  holder.  Each  one  of  these 
articles  should  be  kept  in  order  with  exactness 
and  regularity,  receiving,  before  any  other  room 
in  the  home,  daily  care.  Plenty  of  soap  and 
water  should  be  given  the  enamelled  work,  with 
occasional  additions  of  ammonia.  The  nickel 
jjlating  may  be  rubbed  with  a  soft,  dry  cloth, 
only  whiting  being  used  as  a  polisher.  Patent 
prescriptions  for  nickel  plate  should  be  avoided, 

69 


HOME   FURNISHING 

as  they  often  contain  an  acid  that  destroys  the 
metal. 

Sanitary  plumbing  is  of  so  great  importance 
that  in  building  a  house  every  item  that  makes 
for  show  should  be  cut  out  if  it  in  any  way  de- 
prives the  bathroom  of  the  best  class  of  work. 
Cases  of  illness  are  certain  to  follow  careless 
plumbing,  with  doctors'  bills  that  soon  show 
the  false  economy. 


70 


V. 


d 


■fi 
< 


o 
< 


-) 


IX 

THE    KITCnEN  AND    THE   nOUSEIVIAID'S    ROOM 

A  GOOD  word  has  been  spoken  for  the  kitchen 
by  one  \Yho  has  given  inspiration  to  all  depart- 
ments of  the  house — William  Morris.  "In  a 
countr}'  farm-house,"  he  says,  "the  kitchen  is 
commonly  pleasant  and  homelike,  the  parlour 
dreary  and  useless." 

Few  kitchens  in  our  own  country  can  claim 
these  attributes,  as  taste  in  this  part  of  the  home 
is  not  often  combined  with  a  practical  equip- 
ment. 

The  requirements  for  cooking  are  naturally 
of  first  importance,  and  whatever  economy 
must  regulate  other  details,  the  stove  or  range 
should  be  one  that  is  absolutely  reliable.  A 
gas  stove  in  small  apartments  frequently  takes 
the  place  of  one  that  consumes  coal,  and  in 
kitchens  of  ample  size  one  of  each  kind  is  often 
installed.     A  combination  gas  and  coal  range 

71 


HOME  FURNISHING 

is  also  in  use,  with  a  hot-water  boiler  attached 
for  whichever  medium  is  preferred. 

To  carry  off  cooking  odours  two  expedients 
may  be  turned  to  in  the  kitchen:  an  iron  hood 
over  the  range,  or  a  register  in  the  chimney. 
Rapid  ventilation  from  the  windows  is,  of  course, 
essential,  and  this  may  be  accomplished  if  the 
windows  are  placed  on  opposite  sides  of  the 
room  and  close  to  the  ceiling.  The  lowering 
of  the  upper  and  raising  of  the  lower  sash  will 
then  perform  most  satisfactorily  the  purifying 
of  the  atmosphere. 

The  window  shade  in  the  kitchen,  to  be  most 
helpful,  may  be  a  double  fixture  fastened  at  the 
middle  of  the  casement  and  adjusted  upward 
or  below  from  that  point. 

Window  curtains  add  a  trim  appearance  to 
the  kitchen,  and  if  properly  selected  and  hung 
they  are  not  at  all  inappropriate.  Some  of  the 
goods  sold  for  summer  wash  dresses — percale, 
dimity,  gingham  or  muslin — in  pretty  colour 
combinations  offer  suggestions  for  kitchen  serv- 
ice.    They  should  be  hung  only  to  the  sill  and 


J  - 


KITCHEN  AND  HOUSEMAID'S  ROOM 

sewed  to  small  brass  rings  and  slipped  over  a 
tiny  brass  rod  that  is  screwed  to  the  top  of  the 
casement. 

Oilcloth  is  generally  in  favour  as  a  floor  cover- 
ing for  the  kitchen  floor,  but  the  heavy  inlaid 
linoleum,  although  higher  in  price,  repays  for 
the  outlay  by  its  long  wear.  The  rubber  inter- 
locking; tiles  are  also  used  on  kitchen  floors  in 
more  expensive  dwellings.  As  a  provision  of 
comfort  fcr  the  worker  in  the  kitchen  a  small 
rug  should  be  laid  before  the  sink,  wash-tubs 
or  table,  where  there  is  much  standing. 

The  walls  of  the  kitchen  are  mainly  respon- 
sible for  the  general  aspect,  whether  it  be  light 
and  bright,  or  dingy,  dismal  and  repellent.  Un- 
less this  room  is  flooded  with  sunshine  the 
colour  of  the  walls  may  be  of  cream-white, 
yellow  or  buff.  In  city  basements  where  sun- 
shine is  never  present,  both  walls  and  wood- 
work are  flnished  in  pure  white  paint  that  can 
be  washed  easily.  A  whitewashed  wall  may 
be  kept  sweet  and  clean  with  a  semi-annual 
renewing.     Oil   paints,  laid   on   in   three  well- 

73 


HOME   FURNISHING 

dried  coats,  make  a  serviceable  surface.  If  the 
walls  are  not  in  condition  to  paint,  they  may  be 
first  covered  with  a  plain  or  lining  burlap  and 
then  painted  with  oil  colours.  A  new  wall 
covering  for  kitchens  and  pantries  is  made  in 
a  thin  oilcloth  in  soft  shades  and  good  patterns 
with  a  glazed  or  a  dull  finish. 

A  kitchen  wall  that  is  tiled  from  floor  to  ceil- 
ing is  an  impossible  luxury  for  the  home  of 
■moderate  cost,  and  even  a  tiled  wainscot  may 
be  prohibited  by  the  expense,  but  the  space 
above  a  sink  may  be  fitted  with  tiles  at  no  very 
great  expenditure. 

Placing  a  sink  in  front  of  a  window  is  a  help 
in  making  the  routine  work  of  washing  pans 
and  kettles  less  like  drudgery.  To  secure  an 
architectural  effect  for  the  exterior  of  a  house, 
this  arrangement  of  an  outlook  is  often  thought  ■ 
lessly  taken  away  from  the  kitchen. 

The  secret  of  making  kitchen  work  enjoyable 
is  to  keep  recurring  duties  at  a  minimum  and  re- 
lieve them  by  every  labour-saving  device.  In 
one  home  the  drying  of  plates  and  platters  was 

74 


KITCHEN  AND  HOUSEMAID'S  ROOM 

accomplished  by  draining  the  dishes  in  a  rack 
that  was  built  above  the  sink. 

The  saving  of  steps  and  time  is  another  im- 
portant consideration  that  is  little  appreciated, 
unless  the  mistress  of  the  home  undertakes  the 
kitchen  work  herself.  Then  the  mistakes  in 
arrangement  and  lack  of  conveniences  become 
understood.  The  sink  may  be  too  far  from  the 
range;  the  table  may  be  at  the  wrong  side  of 
the  room;  the  doors  may  open  on  the  wrong 
side  of  the  wall;  windows  may  be  too  far  from 
tile  lloor  or  too  low  down.  The  permanent 
errors  of  building  must,  unfortunately,  be  en- 
dured, but  many  of  the  petty  annoyances  in 
kitchen  fittings  may  be  overcome  by  the  exer- 
cise of  a  little  ingenuity. 

A  butler's  pantry  as  a  connecting  link  between 
the  kitchen  and  dining  room  is  considered 
essential  in  the  modern  home.  When  fitted 
with  a  sink  and  hot  and  cold  water,  shelves, 
cupboard  and  drawers,  this  pantry  relieves 
the  kitchen  of  dishes,  silver,  linen  and  food 
supplies.     A  clo.sct  at  one  end  of  the  butler's 

75 


HOME   FURNISHING 

pantry,  in  which  extra  stores  may  be  kept  under 
lock  and  key,  is  sometimes  introduced. 

A  well-hghted  pantry,  opening  from  the  kitch- 
en, may  be  reserved  for  materials  for  baking 
and  for  preparing  the  food  that  is  to  be  cooked. 
Closets  for  pots  and  kettles  may  be  built  into 
the  wall  if  the  kitchen  is  small,  and  further  space 
gained  by  having  sliding  doors.  A  display 
of  clean  enamelled  ware  on  the  kitchen  walls  is 
not  at  all  an  objectionable  feature,  but  pots 
and  kettles  may  be  kept  out  of  sight  in  their 
own  closet. 

The  refrigerator  in  a  model  kitchen  is  placed 
in  a  closet  opening  on  the  porch,  where  it  may 
be  filled  with  ice  without  entering  the  room. 

Inadequate  lighting  of  the  kitchen  at  night 
is  a  common  fault,  yet  in  no  other  part  of  the 
house  is  there  so  much  need  of  attention  to  this 
detail. 

A  laundry  is  usually  provided  near  the 
kitchen  or  in  the  cellar,  and  sometimes  a  space 
in  the  attic  is  portioned  off  for  drying  clothes 
in    inclement    weather.     In    houses   of   recent 

76 


KITCHEN  AND  HOUSEMAID'S  ROOM 

designing  a  chute  is  installed  from  the  upper 
floors  to  the  laundry  for  sending  down  soiled 
clothing. 

If  a  latticed  porch  is  attached  to  the  kitchen, 
some  of  the  preparations  for  meals  may  be 
made  away  from  the  heat  of  the  stove  during 
the  hot  weather,  and  the  enclosure  will  also 
ser\'e  as  a  sitting-place  on  warm  evenings. 

The  allotment  of  expense  for  furnishing  the 
home  should  include  comfortable  and  orderly 
fittings  for  the  housemaid's  room.  It  is  false 
economy  to  pass  on  to  this  room  from  other 
parts  of  the  house  articles  that  are  of  alien  char- 
acter and  unsuited  to  the  conditions. 

If  one  room  must  be  occupied  by  two  persons, 
there  may  be  a  separate  bed,  washstand  and 
bureau  for  each.  Sanitary  and  durable  fur- 
niture, soundly  constructed,  should  be  chosen. 
If  the  woodwork  and  furniture  arc  painted  alike 
in  an  enamelled  tint,  the  room  at  once  takes  on 
a  look  of  harmony.  A  painted  wall  will  look 
harsh  and  cold  if  it  is  not  soft  and  pleasing  in 

77 


HOME   FURNISHING 

tone.  On  the  north  side  of  the  house  a  light 
red  or  buff  may  be  chosen;  on  tlie  southern 
exposure  a  French  gray,  pale  green  or  turquoise 
blue.  The  addition  of  a  stencilled  border  in  a 
cream  colour  or  a  deeper  shade  of  the  wall 
colour  around  the  doors  and  windows  and 
under  the  ceiling  will  contribute  a  touch  of 
decoration  in  a  simple,  attractive  way.  If  a 
narrow  picture  moulding  is  fixed  to  the  wall 
within  arm's  reach  it  will  facilitate  the  changing 
and  hanging  of  pictures  by  the  inmate  of  the 
room  without  marring  the  walls.  If  pictures 
are  kept  permanently  on  the  walls  a  choice 
may  be  made  in  the  coloured  prints  expressive 
of  action — stage-coach  days  and  hunting  scenes, 
some  of  them  with  humorous  motives.  The 
opportunity  for  adding  some  personal  contribu- 
tions to  the  walls  is  seldom  given,  but  always 
enjoyed. 

The  homelike  feeling  that  draperies  at  the 
windows  impart  need  not  be  forgotten  nor 
set  aside  from  over-strict  motives  of  ventilation, 
as  the  manner  of  making  and   hanging  will 

78 


KITCHEN  AND  HOUSEMAID'S  ROOM 

accomplish  both  artistic  and  practical  aims. 
Wash  muslins  for  dress  use  in  small-flowered 
designs  are  a  dainty,  uncostly  selection  for  the 
housemaid's  windows. 

The  rugs  for  the  floor  may  fit  the  spaces 
beside  the  bed  and  in  front  of  the  bureau  and 
washstand  in  sizes  not  too  large  for  easy  cleaning 
and  in  colours  neither  dark  nor  light.  A  mix- 
ture of  wood  browns  is  a  safe  choice  for  almost 
any  colour  scheme  employed  in  this  room,  and 
the  small  Scotch  rugs  are  appropriate  for  this 

use. 

A  bathroom  for  the  housemaid  is  no  remark- 
able luxury  in  houses  of  late  construction,  but 
if  the  washing  arrangements  are  kept  in  the 
bedroom  they  may  be  chosen  for  their  neat 
style.  To  be  able  to  replace  broken  pieces 
without  mismatching  them,  it  is  wiser  to  buy 
from  an  open  stock  of  toilet  ware. 

While  every  effort  to  make  the  interior  of 
the  housemaid's  room  attractive  and  comfort- 
able is  being  made,  its  exposure  will  be  most 
potent  in  assisting  or  defeating  the  results.     A 

79 


HOME  FURNISHING 

south  room  will  do  the  most  in  giving  a  whole- 
some atmosphere,  both  in  summer  and  winter. 

When  a  sitting  room  or  servants'  hall  is  pro- 
vided on  the  first  floor  it  is  often  used  at  meal 
times.  A  table  in  the  centre  will  serve  for 
dining  and  evening  use.  A  rug  may  cover  the 
floor  in  the  winter  and  be  removed  in  the  sum- 
mer. The  windows  may  have  muslin  or  chintz 
curtains  to  the  sill,  and  the  walls  may  be  pa- 
pered, painted  in  oil  or  tinted  with  water  colours. 
Comfortable  rockers,  some  side  and  arm  chairs 
with  cane  seats,  hanging  shelves  for  books  and 
small  articles  and  a  few  pictures  may  complete 
the  fittings  of  this  room.  Freedom  in  rearrang- 
ing the  furnishings  will  add  to  the  pleasure 
of  the  inmates  and  give  something  of  the  feeling 
of  ownership. 

If  it  is  impossible  to  provide  a  room  of  this 
kind,  a  laundry  that  is  near  the  kitchen  may 
be  converted  into  quite  a  good  substitute  on 
other  days  than  those  devoted  to  washing  and 
ironing,  by  installing  chairs,  tables  and  a  good 
reading  light. 

80 


X 

THE  BEDROOM 

Fashions  in  bedrooms  have  not  altered  very 
much  during  the  past  century,  but  previous  to 
that  time  they  had  a  changeful  history.  In 
mediaeval  days  the  mattress  was  laid  on  the 
floor,  and  afterwards  raised  on  a  wooden  frame- 
work tied  across  v.'ith  cords.  From  this  rude 
construction  the  comfortable  bed  of  modern 
times  has  been  evolved. 

The  custom  among  royalty  and  its  followers 
of  giving  formal  receptions  while  in  bed  caused 
the  cabinet-makers  and  jewellers  to  lavish  their 
utmost  skill  on  this  piece  of  furniture.  Mag- 
nificent carving  and  silver  inlaying  made  an 
ornate  and  luxurious  background  for  the  hostess, 
who,  attired  in  stilT  brocade  and  towering  head- 
dress, gave  card  parties  and  suppers  from  her 
bedside. 

Nowadays    the    bedroom    receives    a    wide 

8 1 


HOME   FURNISHING 

latitude  in  its  furnishings,  suiting  more  com- 
pletely the  tastes  and  uses  of  its  owner  than 
any  other  room  in  the  house. 

The  ideal  bedroom  is  one  that  is  arranged 
only  for  sleeping  and  resting  hours,  with  con- 
necting bath  and  dressing  rooms,  and  separate 
rooms  for  leisure  and  working  hours.  A  bedroom 
used  exclusively  as  a  sleeping  apartment  may 
be  treated  in  a  very  simple  style.  There  should 
be  windows  on  opposite  sides  of  the  wall  to  give 
ventilation,  and  the  nearer  these  are  placed  to 
the  ceiling  the  better  the  circulation  of  air.  If 
paper  is  desired  for  the  wall  finish,  there  are 
innumerable  artistic  patterns  from  which  to 
choose,  and  some  sanitary  prints  that  are 
capable  of  being  cleaned  with  water.  An  oil 
paint  in  a  flat  finish  may  be  applied  if  a  plain, 
sanitary  covering  is  preferred.  Of  course,  in 
choosing  the  decoration  for  the  wall,  a  harmo- 
nious combination  with  the  woodwork,  floor 
covering  and  furniture  should  be  sought. 

Some  of  the  papers  in  chintz  patterns  have 
a  cretonne  to  match,  and  in  combining  the  two 

82 


THE   BEDROOM 

the  bed  covering  and  furniture  slips  may  be 
of  the  fabric.  The  use  of  a  figured  cretonne  for 
the  windows  that  will  exactly  match  the  wall 
paper  is  not  advisable  except  in  very  limited 
quarters  where  an  effect  of  space  must  be  se- 
cured at  a  loss  of  variety. 

The  woodwork  in  the  bedroom,  whether  the 
furniture  is  antique  or  modern,  should  be  neat 
and  plain,  painted  white  in  an  egg-shell  finish. 
Muslin  curtains  have  the  advantage  of  being 
easily  laundered  in  the  house  and  so  presenting 
a  continual  appearance  of  freshness.  The  cur- 
tains may  be  slipped  over  a  small  brass  rod, 
with  hooks  and  loops  to  catch  them  back  to  the 
sides  of  the  casement.  An  over-curtain  of 
cretonne,  art  ticking,  denim,  linen  taffeta  or 
chintz  may  be  adopted  during  the  winter  months, 
and  if  it  is  sewed  to  rings  it  need  not  interfere 
with  proper  ventilation. 

To  prevent  the  accumulation  of  dust  in  this 
room,  it  is  better  to  leave  the  floor  uncarpeted 
and  lay  small  mats  beside  the  bed,  bureau  and 
doonvays.     The    new   washable    cotton    rugs, 

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HOME   FURNISHING 

made  in  the  old  rag-style,  but  in  more  artis- 
tic colourings  than  those  of  the  old  days,  are 
excellent  for  the  bedroom,  and  particularly 
adapted  to  summer  use.  A  night  table  may  be 
placed  at  the  head  of  the  bed,  with  a  candle  and 
matches,  watch  holder  and  a  small  tray  for 
drinking-water. 

If  the  bed  is  used  as  a  resting  place  during 
the  day,  the  freshness  of  the  bed  may  be  pre- 
served by  having  a  lounge  for  day  naps.  This 
should  be  placed  so  that  it  will  not  face  the 
light,  and  should  be  equipped  with  pillows  and 
a  light  spread.  The  bedroom  lounge  may  be 
covered  with  a  linen  or  cotton  material,  in  keep- 
ing with  the  washable  goods  at  the  windows 
and  on  the  bed.  A  comfortable  rocker  and 
an  easy  chair  will  supplement  the  bed  and 
lounge. 

A  dressing  room  adjoining  the  sleeping  room 
need  not  be  as  large  nor  have  as  many  windows 
as  the  latter.  Space  is  not  necessary,  except 
for  the  accommodation  of  the  chiffonier,  dress- 
ing table  or  shaving  stand.     Further  additions 

84 


THE   BEDROOiM 

for  dressing,  which  are  of  service,  are  a  wooden 
tree  for  airing  night-clothes  during  the  day  and 
for  holding  at  night  the  garments  that  are  worn 
in  the  daytime;  a  low  slipper  chair  for  putting 
on  and  taking  off  shoes,  a  press  or  closet  for 
keeping  clothes  from  the  dampness,  and  a  long 
mirror. 

In  a  dressing  room  the  modern  cheval  glass, 
set  on  casters  and  made  to  tilt  at  any  angle,  is 
a  practical  selection.  Lacking  the  space  that 
this  piece  of  furniture  demands,  a  substitute 
can  be  made  by  setting  a  large  sheet  of  looking- 
glass  into  the  panelling  of  a  door.  Sometimes 
the  inside  of  a  closet  door  is  lined  with  a  long 
mirror,  or  a  glass  is  set  against  the  wall  with 
the  moulding  at  the  base  cut  out  to  allow  the 
reflection  to  extend  to  the  floor. 

When  the  bedroom  must,  however,  cover  the 
needs  of  both  night  and  day,  and  is  used  for 
sleeping,  working,  dressing  and  resting,  the 
problem  of  furnishing  becomes  more  compli- 
cated, and  William  Morris's  direction  to  have 
nothing  around  that  is  not  serviceable  or  beau- 

85 


HOME   FURNISHING 

tiful  will  be  a  good  one  to  follow.  The  bed, 
lounge,  easy  chair,  dressing  table  and  wash- 
stand,  night  table,  work  table,  desk  and  book- 
shelves must  all  be  selected  with  care  to  fit 
their  allotted  spaces  without  crowding. 

The  three  pieces  of  furniture  that  are  usually 
included  in  the  furnishing  of  a  bedroom  that 
is  also  used  for  dressing  are  a  bureau,  dressing 
table  and  chiffonier.  Sometimes  the  chiffonier 
and  bureau  answer  all  the  necessary  require- 
ments, if  the  latter  piece  has  a  dressing  mirror 
attached  to  it.  A  chiffonier  for  a  man's  cloth- 
ing is  a  late  invention  in  which  open  trays  take 
the  place  of  drawers,  with  wardrobe  doors  as 
a  protection  from  dust. 

A  unique  bureau,  patterned  after  the  Japanese 
travelling  bureau,  is  sometimes  admitted  in  the 
bedroom.  It  is  made  in  two  parts,  each  one 
having  handles  of  iron  through  which  a  pole 
may  be  slipped  if  the  chest  is  to  be  carried  by 
hand. 

A  bureau  with  two  small  drawers  at  the  top, 
for  holding  the  minor  articles  of  dress,  is  more 

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THE   BEDROOM 

convenient  than  one  with  drawers  all  of  one 
size;  but  any  cabinet  maker  can  add  interior 
compartments  to  a  large  top  drawer  for  the  con- 
venient disposal  of  gloves,  handkerchiefs  and 
collars. 

Bureau  drawers  that  arc  more  than  three 
feet  across  the  front  are  heavy  to  open  and 
close,  and  increase  the  difficulties  experienced 
with  unseasoned  wood  in  damp  weather.  In 
linen  closets  the  drawers  are  sometimes  placed 
on  rollers  to  facilitate  their  easy  moving. 

If  a  dressing  table  is  used  in  place  of  a  bureau, 
it  should  not  be  too  high  to  use  with  a  chair  or 
bench.  The  low-boy,  or  low  chest  of  drawers 
of  colonial  times,  is  now  reproduced  in  the  old 
way  without  a  mirror,  and  also  with  an  up-to- 
date  adjustable  mirror. 

An  inexpensive  dressing  table  may  be  con- 
structed by  an  amateur  worker  with  tools  by 
fastening  together  some  pine  boards  and  nailing 
them  to  the  top  of  a  barrel.  The  boards  may 
then  be  covered  with  double-faced  canton 
flannel  and  an  opaque  dimity  gathered  around 

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the  front  and  sides,  with  a  cover  of  the  same 
material  laid  on  the  top.  Such  a  dressing  table, 
to  be  really  serviceable,  should  not  be  smaller 
than  thirty-four  inches  broad  and  twenty-two 
inches  deep.  The  same  contrivance  may  be 
adopted  for  a  washstand,  and  if  it  is  fitted  into 
an  angle  of  the  room  with  a  protector  of  sheer 
muslin  gathered  and  tacked  against  the  wall 
to  a  height  (above  the  top  of  the  stand)  of 
twenty-four  inches,  a  dainty  furnishing  will  be 
given  the  room  at  a  minimum  expense. 

The  bureau  of  to-day  has  been  many  years  in 
reaching  its  present  practical  form.  Its  earliest 
estate  was  a  plain  chest  in  which  clothes  and 
household  linen  were  laid  away,  but  the  intro- 
duction of  a  drawer  in  the  lower  part  (leaving 
a  well  or  space  above)  proved  to  be  of  such 
advantage  that  other  drawers  were  added. 
Sometimes  the  chests  with  drawers  were  made 
in  two  parts  and  placed  one  upon  the  other; 
sometimes  they  were  made  in  one  tall  frame, 
familiarly   known  by   the  name  of  "tall- boy" 

or  "high-boy." 

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THE   BEDROOM 

The  tall  chest  of  drawers  was  at  one  period 
of  its  existence  put  aside  for  a  more  up-to-date 
piece  of  furniture  and  received  into  the  attic 
for  storage,  but  in  the  revived  interest  in  old 
furniture  it  has  been  restored  to  its  old  position 
of  usefulness. 

The  early  Dutch  chests  that  were  brought 
over  to  this  country  were  made  of  walnut,  and 
few  of  these  have  survived  the  years,  except  as 
they  have  been  preserved  in  museums.  Some 
of  the  old  mahogany  chests  of  drawers  of  the 
late  eighteenth  centur}',  with  inlaid  lines  or 
car\Td  pillars,  are  still  existing  in  houses  where 
their  value  has  been  appreciated  from  one 
generation  to  another. 

The  inconvenience  of  dressing  with  a  mirror 
hung  against  the  wall  produced  another  step 
in  the  evolution  of  the  bureau,  and  a  small 
glass  attached  to  a  box  was  placed  on  the  top 
of  the  case.  After  a  time  a  mirror  was  fitted 
to  upright  mahogany  posts  and  fastened  with 
adjustaljle  screws,  and  the  bureau  of  to-day 
was   complete. 

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The  designs  for  washstands  are  not  numer- 
ous, and  the  more  simple  their  style  the  more 
sanitary  is  their  condition.  "Art  Nouveau" 
has  introduced  some  washstand  patterns  al- 
most austere  in  outline,  but  better  adapted  for 
practical  purposes  than  the  carved,  ornamented 
work  of  our  own  country.  The  square  and 
corner  washstands  of  the  colonial  era  are  quaint 
belongings  for  the  old-fashioned  bedroom,  but 
their  contracted  size  and  the  necessity  for  small 
toilet  sets  make  them  unsuitable  for  an  age 
devoted  to  good  bathing  facilities. 

An  artistic  combination  of  shape  and  deco- 
ration seems  almost  impossible  to  reach  in  the 
commercial  toilet  sets.  Form  is  of  primary 
importance;  colour  effect  may  be  secondary. 
Plain  tints  may  be  selected  when  a  pattern  is 
too  aggressive,  and  cream  white  turned  to  if 
both  colour  and  decoration  are  inappropriate. 

A  correct  placing  of  the  bureau  and  wash- 
stand  contributes  not  only  to  comfort  but  to 
the  distinction  of  the  room.  The  best  position 
for  a  bureau  is  between  two  windows  for  day- 

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THE   BEDROOM 

time  dressing,  with  artificial  lights  at  each  side 
for  the  evening.  The  washstand  should  be 
out  of  sight  of  the  entrance  door,  and  if  it  can 
be  recessed  it  will  be  a  less  conspicuous  feature 
in  the  room. 

A  screen  may  be  remembered  in  fitting  up 
a  bedroom,  and  a  simple  frame  made  at  home 
may  be  covered  with  cretonne  at  a  slight  cost; 
or  one  of  the  Japanese  screens  will  answer  for 
the  bedroom.  The  latter  are  made  in  many 
different  sizes,  they  are  light  and  easily  handled 
and  found  in  a  variety  of  colours  and  designs, 
in  paper,  cotton  and  silk.  If  a  screen  that  is 
heavier  in  weight  is  preferred,  an  oak  frame  in 
three  or  four  panels  may  be  covered  with  bur- 
lap, and  to  relieve  the  plainness  a  picture  panel 
may  fill  the  upper  part  of  each  leaf. 

A  door  guard  has  been  originated  to  screen 
a  bedroom  when  the  door  is  left  partially  o])cn. 
A  strip  of  thick  brown  linen  is  cut  the  length 
of  the  door  and  five  inches  wide,  ornamented 
with  Jai)anese  sword-hilts  that  give  weight 
enough  to  keep  it  from  blowing  aside,  and  then 

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hung  on  the  inside  of  the  room  over  the  opening 
between  the  two  pairs  of  hinges. 

There  is  so  much  interest  in  old  furniture 
nowadays  that  a  bedroom  fitted  up  in  antique 
pieces  or  their  reproductions  makes  a  pleasant 
change  from  modern  fittings.  An  old  four- 
poster  may  be  made  comfortable  with  wire 
springs  and  a  hair  mattress;  an  old  chest  may 
hold  the  hand-woven  linen  and  blankets;  a 
low-boy  take  the  place  of  a  dresser,  and  a  high- 
boy become  the  chiffonier.  Instead  of  a  bureau 
a  chest  of  drawers  may  have  a  shaving  mirror 
in  the  by-gone  fashion  placed  on  its  top.  A 
corner  or  square  washstand  may  be  equipped 
with  an  old-blue  china  bowl  and  pitcher,  and 
a  candle-stand,  work  table,  rush-seated  chairs 
and  rag  carpet  carry  out  the  quaint  ideas  of  the 
past. 


92 


XI 

THE   child's   room 

The  clement  of  interest  is  not  always  con- 
sidered in  furnishing  the  child's  room.  Com- 
fort, of  course,  should  be  of  the  first  importance, 
and  an  artistic  selection  made  whenever  possi- 
ble, but  a  touch  of  the  unique  and  entertaining 
makes  the  most  vital  appeal  to  the  plastic  na- 
ture of  the  child. 

The  child's  own  expression  of  taste  may 
receive  sufTicient  deference,  in  furnishing  this 
room,  to  give  him  a  sense  of  ownership  in  his 
surroundings,  laying  besides  the  foundations 
for  the  responsibilities  of  the  home  in  which, 
in  time,  he  will  be  the  master. 

Modern  conveniences  are  so  eagerly  adopted 
by  the  American  people  that  the  child's  room 
is  not  apt  to  be  overlooked  in  these  matters. 
The  windows  should  be  screened  and  siiuttered 

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to  keep  out  insects  and  a  too-hot  sun  in  summer; 
the  sashes  so  placed  as  to  secure  the  best  venti- 
lation; the  heating  apparatus  chosen  for  effi- 
ciency ;  the  plumbing  made  sanitary ;  the  location 
isolated  from  the  other  rooms  as  miuch  as  possi- 
ble. In  arranging  for  each  one  of  these  details 
for  comfort  the  point  of  permanence  must  be 
taken  into  consideration,  and  the  price  paid 
for  it. 

A  common  mistake  in  furnishing  a  child's 
room  is  to  fancy  that  anything  that  is  not 
wanted  in  other  rooms  may  be  turned  to  account 
there.  In  one  house,  perhaps,  when  the  carpet 
from  the  first  floor  hall  is  too  worn  for  its  posi- 
tion it  is  brought  up  to  the  nursery.  In  another 
home,  the  furniture  that  is  too  disabled  for 
parlour  or  library  is  passed  on  to  the  room  de- 
voted to  the  children.  In  like  manner  the 
child's  room  receives  faded  curtains,  half-worn 
portieres  and  soiled  sofa  pillows.  Sometimes 
the  refurnishing  of  some  one  room  leaves  cer- 
tain pieces  that  do  not  fit  into  the  new  colour 
scheme.     The  children's  room  is  immediately 

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A    MOTIIKK    GOOSK   CHINTZ 
A  (  Kll!  wnil   SI.IDINCi  SIUKS 


THE   CHILD'S   ROOM 

thought  of  as  a  place  to  receive  artfcles  that 
are  ''altogether  too  good  to  be  thrown  away." 
Under  such  rulings  as  these  the  child's  room 
naturally  loses  any  characteristic  quality  of  its 
own,  and  takes  on  the  appearance  of  a  second- 
rate  auction  shop. 

Three  connecting  rooms  for  sleeping,  play- 
ing and  bathing,  with  each  item  of  furnishing 
and  decoration  carefully  planned,  form  the  ideal 
suite  for  the  child.  In  the  sleeping  room  there 
need  be  few  articles  of  furniture — a  crib  or 
bedstead,  a  chair  or  two,  a  chiffonier  or  chest 
of  drawers,  with  closets  conveniently  fitted  up 
for  holding  clothing.  The  floor  may  be  laid  with 
rugs  that  are  small  in  size  and  soft  in  texture; 
the  walls  may  be  painted  in  oil  and  trimmed 
with  a  narrow  stencil  border  around  doors  and 
windows.  The  windows  may  be  hung  with 
muslin  curtains  and  dark  shades,  shutters  being 
put  up  for  the  summer  months. 

In  a  bathroom  that  is  the  exclusive  property 
of  a  child  the  sj)ace  above  the  wainscot  may  be 
decorated    with    a    picture    paper    in    sanitary 

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finish.  A  dainty  look  will  be  given  with  pink 
and  white  for  the  colours  in  rugs  and  woodwork. 
In  one  little  girl's  bathroom  a  touch  of  plant 
life  was  always  present  in  a  growing  fern  that 
was  set  on  the  wide  window-sill. 

The  wall  decoration  has  a  large  share  in  mak- 
ing a  child's  room  attractive.  Only  too  often 
ignorance  of  this  fact  allows  the  walls  to  be 
painted  or  tinted  in  a  crude  colour,  or  an  in- 
artistic paper  to  be  hung,  or  a  careless  com- 
bination to  be  made  with  side  walls  and  frieze. 
The  wall  colour  itself  is  of  so  much  moment 
that  it  should  take  the  precedence  in  planning 
a  general  scheme  for  the  room. 

In  the  day  nursery  or  playroom  the  walls 
may  be  treated  in  different  ways,  but  whatever 
style  is  adopted  it  is  best  to  keep  the  ceiling  in 
a  cream-white  tint.  If  the  walls  are  higher 
than  nine  feet,  the  ceiling  tint  may  be  brought 
down  on  the  side  wall  for  twelve  or  eighteen 
inches,  with  a  picture  moulding  joining  it  to 
the  paper  below  it.  A  paper  for  the  walls 
should  be  selected  with  care,  and  an  endeavour 

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THE   CHILD'S   ROOM 

made  to  secure  only  a  few  harmonious  colours 
in  a  good  dcsitrn. 

When  a  painted  or  tinted  wall  is  desired,  the 
colour  may  be  suited  to  the  window  light  and 
exposure.  A  sunny  outlook,  or  a  many- win- 
dowed room,  will  require  to  have  the  light 
tempered  with  green,  blue  or  gray  on  the  walls. 
When  sunlight  is  deficient,  a  soft  pink  or  buff 
will  be  the  right  tone  to  put  on  the  walls.  A 
plain-painted  wall  lacks  interest  for  a  child  who 
loves  the  pictorial  element  near  him,  and  some 
atonement  should  be  rendered  with  framed  or 
unframcd  pictures. 

A  wall  that  is  tinted  in  water  colour  or  kalso- 
mine  is  easily  soiled  and  not  advisable  for  the 
child's  room.  The  egg-shell  finish  given  with 
oil  paints  is  preferable,  as  the  common  gloss  is 
too  smooth-looking  to  be  artistic.  Walls  in 
the  egg-shell  finish  may  easily  be  cleaned  with 
soap  and  water,  and  pencil  marks,  finger  prints 
and  the  like  will  not  do  irreparable  damage. 

Plain-i>ainted  walls  may  be  decorated  in  a 
variety  of  ways  by  the  use  of  stencils.     A  light 

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colour  may  have  a  pattern  stencilled  upon  it, 
giving  a  pleasant,  two-toned  appearance.  The 
design  may  be  simple  or  intricate,  the  colours 
may  be  few,  the  expense  of  time  and  money 
small  or  large,  but  the  decorator  should  always 
keep  in  mind  that  little  folks  are  to  live  in  the 
room  upon  which  he  is  expending  his  skill. 

The  space  above  the  mantel-shelf  gives  an 
opportunity  for  hanging  a  picture  that  will 
appeal  particularly  to  childish  eyes.  The 
Mother  Goose  chintz  may  be  utilised  as  an  over- 
mant^l  decoration  at  a  slight  cost.  In  another 
room  a  section  of  the  Parthenon  frieze  in  plaster 
may  be  fitted  in  the  wall  above  the  mantel. 
The  Delia  Robbia  singing  boys  have  become 
so  popular  for  this  purpose  that  architects  in- 
corporate the  plaster  reliefs  in  the  woodwork 
that  is  designed  for  the  nursery. 

It  is  better  to  cover  nearly  the  entire  floor 
of  the  child's  playroom.  If  a  rug  of  the  right 
size  cannot  be  procured,  a  substitute  can  always 
be  had  in  carpet  which  may  be  made  up  with 
or  without  a  border.     The  mottled  velvets  are 

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THE   CHILD'S    ROOM 

well  suited  to  this  room,  their  effect  being  like 
a  plain  carpet  with  less  delicacy  in  wearing. 
There  are  also  Wilton  rugs  and  ingrain  rugs 
made  in  Scotland  that  will  be  liked  in  this 
room. 

In  making  a  study  of  the  needs  of  the  child, 
chairs  may  be  selected  for  comfort,  bookshelves 
placed  within  reach,  and  tables  chosen  of  the 
right  height.  Artistic  furniture  for  the  use  of 
children  has  never  until  lately  been  manufac- 
tured in  much  variety;  but  nearly  all  of  the 
shapes  made  for  older  people  may  be  found 
now  in  miniature  sizes.  A  chest  for  to^s,  six- 
teen by  thirty-one  inches,  may  be  devir.ed  at 
home,  using  white  wood  and  staining  it  in 
willow-green.  The  top,  front  and  sides  may  be 
covered  with  a  nursery  chintz,  and  the  edges 
of  the  material  covered  with  furniture  gimp. 
A  shallow  tray  divided  into  compartments  may 
be  fitted  into  the  inside  of  the  chest,  and  brass 
handles,  a  lock  and  a  key  added. 

The  shading  of  the  windows  of  the  child's 
room  should  be  essentially  practical,  but  not 

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to  the  exclusion  of  some  pretty  curtains.  The 
usefulness  of  the  open  fireplace  is  nowhere  in 
the  house  so  conclusively  demonstrated  as  in  the 
nursery.  It  may  be  of  the  plainest  type  and 
of  the  utmost  simplicity  in  its  fittings,  yet  accom- 
plish as  much  good  as  one  of  a  more  expen- 
sive character.  A  spark  guard  of  wire  netting 
should  be  provided  to  protect  the  children  from 
accidental  contact  with  the  fire. 

In  a  room  used  by  a  boy  or  a  girl  for  playing, 
studying  and  sleeping  there  is  a  triple  oppor- 
tunity for  interesting  furnishing.  A  young  lad 
who  was  fond  of  Indian  life  and  history  collected 
some  different  trophies  which  were  made  a  wall 
decoration  in  one  corner  of  his  room.  A  Navajo 
blanket  was  tacked  to  another  side  of  the  wall, 
and  a  floor  rug  made  with  a  second  Indian 
blanket. 

A  young  girl  who  had  considerable  musical 
talent  was  encouraged  by  having  a  piano  placed 
in  her  own  room  where  lessons  and  practising 
could  go  on  without  interrupting  the  family 
occupations.     The  experiment  proved  thorough- 

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THE   CHILD'S   ROOM 

ly  successful  in  furthering  the  progress  of  the 
girl's  studies  in  music,  and  also  established  a 
helpful  atmosphere  of  musical  art  in  her  own 
room. 

The  care  of  children  during  contagious 
illnesses  is  often  a  perplexing  matter  to  the 
household.  The  location  of  the  nursery  at 
such  a  time  shows  the  wisdom,  or  lack  of  it, 
of  the  builder.  A  plan  adopted  by  a  family 
who  lived  in  a  country  town  was  to  keep  a 
room  ready  in  the  barn  where  a  child  ill  with  a 
contagious  disease  could  be  cared  for  by  a  nurse. 
The  equipment  was  like  that  of  a  private  hos- 
pital, with  white  enamelled  bed,  table,  chairs 
and  conveniences  for  nursing,  and  a  telephone 
connection  with  the  house.  Attraction  was 
lent  to  the  novel  scheme  by  keeping  certain 
books  and  toys  for  entertainment  during  con- 
valescence, and  using  a  set  of  dishes  decorated 
with  scenes  from  Mother  Goose  tales. 


lOI 


XII 

THE  guest's  room 

A  PERFECTION  of  details  is  the  high-water 
mark  in  a  room  devoted  to  visitors.  In  the 
other  rooms  of  the  house  any  deviation  from 
comfort  receives  compensation  by  the  individ- 
uaHsing  charm  of  ownership.  The  guest's 
room,  however,  has  no  plea  of  this  kind  to  sus- 
tain any  failure  to  meet  the  requirements  of 
its  successive  occupants. 

The  guest's  room,  to  be  a  success,  must  be 
fitted  up  with  the  best  that  modern  art  and 
ingenuity  provides  in  house  furnishings.  It 
must  be  treated,  too,  with  an  intelligence  that 
will  cover  a  diversity  of  needs;  with  taste  to 
make  every  selection  an  artistic  one,  and  with 
sympathy  to  invest  the  transient  character  of 
the  room  with  some  touch  of  homelikeness. 

In  building  a  new  house  the  location  of  the 
guest's  room  should  receive  consideration.    Not 

1 02 


THE   GUEST'S   ROOM 

being  in  constant  use  like  the  family  apartments, 
a  north,  east  or  west  exposure  may  be  accepted, 
provided  the  lack  of  sunshine  be  requited  with 
an  open  fireplace  and  warm-hued  decorations. 

The  ideal  arrangements  for  a  guest  are  a 
bedroom  with  an  adjoining  bath  and  dressing 
room;  but  when  plumbing  facilities  are  out 
of  the  question  a  small  room  for  bathing  and 
dressing  may  still  be  possible. 

In  country  homes  where  space  permits  the 
luxur)^  of  more  than  one  room  for  visitors,  it 
is  convenient  to  give  up  a  room  on  the  first 
floor  to  men.  For  such  a  room  a  college  man 
devised  a  colour  scheme  from  the  colours  of 
his  Alma  Mater,  with  decorations  from  trophies 
and  pictures  of  student  days. 

The  blue-and-white  or  pink-and-white  pretti- 
ness  of  the  traditional  guest's  room  may  be 
entirely  discarded  in  fitting  up  one  for  a  man's 
use.  For  the  latter,  one  may  begin  with  the 
woodwork  and  furniture  and  make  the  selec- 
tions for  botli  of  these  important  items  in  a 
rich-toned  brown  oak.     The  bed  requires  neither 

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HOME  FURNISHING 

canopy  nor  frill,  but  if  an  interesting  counter- 
pane is  sought,  it  can  be  found  among  the 
cotton  Japanese  prints,  Italian  or  Oriental 
embroidered  goods,  hand-printed  French  linens 
or  English  chintzes.  An  oak  chest  may  be 
stationed  at  the  foot  of  the  bed  to  hold  a  reserve 
of  bedclothes  for  cold  nights,  and  this  article 
may  also  do  service  as  a  slipper  chair. 

A  new  style  of  chiffonier  for  a  man's  clothing, 
with  a  sliding  shaving  glass,  does  away  with 
the  two  pieces  for  clothes  and  shaving,  neither 
of  which  has  as  yet  been  created  on  very  grace- 
ful lines. 

A  table  that  is  firm  enough  to  hold  a  reading 
lamp  and  a  comfortable  armchair  are  needed 
in  this  room.  If  a  carpet  is  chosen  for  the 
floor  the  pattern  may  be  in  a  Persian  rug  in 
deep,  quiet  colours.  In  place  of  lace  curtains 
some  coloured  net  may  be  hung  on  brass  rings 
that  are  slipped  over  a  small  brass  rod. 

In  covering  the  wall  the  ordinary  bedroom 
paper  in  floral  design  may  be  set  aside  for  a 
plain  or  a  two-toned  English  paper,  or  some 

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THE   GUEST'S   ROOM 

conventional  design  in  three  colours.  Or,  a 
border  may  be  made,  in  a  room  where  a  high 
ceiling  seems  too  formal,  with  a  figured  paper, 
and  a  two-toned  paper  may  fill  the  lower  wall. 
Some  of  the  new  poster  borders  are  suitable 
for  the  guest  room  of  a  man. 

In  a  room  that  is  expected  to  be  occupied 
by  two  visitors  two  single  beds  may  be  installed 
instead  of  one  double  bed.  White  iron  or 
brass,  oak,  maple  or  mahogany  may  be  selected, 
but  any  curtailment  of  expense  should  be  given 
to  the  bed  frame  rather  than  the  fittings  of  the 
bed  itself.  The  pieces  of  furniture  should 
comprise,  besides  the  bed,  a  lounge  for  day  use, 
a  bureau  or  dresser,  a  chiffonier,  a  night  stand, 
a  dressing  mirror,  a  folding  screen,  an  easy 
chair  and  rocker,  a  trunk  stand,  slipper  chair 
and  two  side  chairs.  In  supplying  the  small 
articles  of  toilet  that  may  be  called  into  use 
for  guests  whose  luggage  fails  to  arrive,  the 
preference  may  be  given  to  simple,  substan- 
tial   (jualities   without    useless   or   perfunctory 

ornament. 

105 


HOME  FURNISHING 

Matting  is  often  used  for  a  floor  covering 
when  the  boards  will  not  permit  the  use  of 
rugs;  but  an  objection  to  matting  is  the  odour 
it  emits  in  damp  weather  or  when  the  room 
is  not  thoroughly  aired.  A  cotton  filling  in 
a  neutral  colour  may  be  substituted  for  the 
matting  if  a  v\^ool  filling  cannot  be  afforded. 

Lace  or  net  curtains  to  screen  the  windows 
may  hang  to  the  floor  or  only  to  the  sill,  accord- 
ing to  the  shape  of  the  casement  and  the 
furnishing  of  the  room.  Short  muslin  cur- 
tains may  be  held  back  by  cotton  loops  if  the 
sash  does  not  require  screening.  In  winter 
a  second  pair  of  long  curtains  of  cretonne, 
sateen,  linen  taffeta  or  chintz  may  be  added. 

An  opportunity  for  using  a  wall  paper  with 
a  striking  design  is  at  hand  in  the  guest's  room, 
where  such  a  choice  gives  better  results  than 
the  admission  of  inconsequent  pictures  that 
are  hung  merely  to  fill  up  the  walls.  With  a 
paper  of  this  character  the  walls  may  be  bal- 
anced by  plain  window  hangings  and  plain 
or  two-toned  furniture  coverings. 

1 06 


THE   GUEST'S   ROOM 

Famil}^  photographs  and  all  personal  sou- 
venirs belonging  to  the  household  should  not 
be  admitted  as  decorations  or  furnishin2;s  in 
the  guest's  room,  but  the  expression  of  the 
hostess's  taste  can  find  an  outlet  in  the  small 
belongings  for  the  dressing  table — brush  and 
comb,  hand  mirror,  powder  box,  manicure  tools, 
pin  tray,  hair  receiver,  glove  and  boot  fastener. 

A  set  of  sewing  m.aterials  on  a  small  scale 
may  be  a  part  of  the  equipments  for  the  guest's 
room,  and  these  may  be  kept  in  orderly  fashion 
in  a  Martha  Washington  stand.  A  tea  stand 
for  serving  "the  cup  that  cheers"  to  a  visitor 
arriving  between  meal  hours  makes  another 
pretty  equipment  and  odd  pieces  of  china  may 
be  selected  for  it. 

Bookshelves  and  writinc;  desk  or  table  never 
accom[)lish  their  full  mission  of  usefulness  un- 
less they  receive  intelligent  care.  The  secret 
of  their  success  is  in  their  being  kept  up-to- 
date,  one  with  its  fresh  volumes  and  new  maga- 
zines, the  other  v^ith  clean  pens  and  supplies 
of  stationer)'. 

107 


HOME   FURNISHING 

As  certain  perfumes  are  the  cause  of  great 
discomfort  to  some  persons,  the  rule  in  the 
guest's  room  may  be  to  keep  everything  of 
this  kind  outside  its  walls.  Instead  of  closinir 
the  room  when  not  in  use,  it  is  better  to  let  it 
partake  of  the  atmosphere  of  the  house,  taking 
care  to  give  a  thorough  ventilation  before  and 
after  it  is  occupied. 

The  interest  in  collecting  antique  furniture 
is  often  directed  to  the  fittings  of  the  guest's 
room,  and  when  this  is  done  the  most  pictur- 
esque effects  will  be  obtained  by  carrying  the 
idea  through  all  of  the  furnishings  and  deco- 
rations. As  these  "real  old  things"  are  be- 
coming very  scarce  and,  in  consequence,  too 
precious  for  the  wear-and-tear  of  every-day 
use,  the  room  reserved  for  visitors  will  be  a 
place  for  their  safe  keeping,  where  they  will 
fill  a  utilitarian  office  outside  of  their  value 
as  a  collection. 


1 08 


XIII 

THE    VERANDA 

A  L/VRGE  degree  of  comfort  in  warm  weather 
depends  upon  the  piazza  space  that  is  avail- 
able for  fitting  up  as  a  sitting  room.  When 
the  porch  opens  from  a  living  room  the  inte- 
rior furnishings  may  be  used  in  either  place 
with  a  few  extra  pieces  for  the  especial  require- 
ments of  one  or  the  other. 

The  ideal  veranda  is  seldom  planned  from 
the  beginning,  but  its  attractiveness  develops 
as  it  meets  the  needs  of  the  household. 

The  porch,  in  its  relation  to  the  house,  has 
undergone  a  perceptible  change  in  the  past  few 
years.  Incorporated  as  it  formerly  was  with  the 
front  entrance  to  the  house  the  piazza  lacked 
the  clement  of  privacy.  In  the  newer  architect- 
ure this  need  is  recognised  by  placing  the  out- 
door sitting  place  as  far  removed  as  possible 
from  the  main  entranceway,  to  the  gain  of  se- 
clusion and  freedom  from  interruptions. 

UK) 


HOME   FUKNISFIING 

A  consideration  of  the  piazza  and  its  pos- 
sibilities often  reveals  some  fundamental  mis- 
take in  its  shape,  size  or  location.  An  in- 
stance in  which  a  simple  remedy  was  applied 
for  one  of  these  errors  was  the  changing  of 
the  entrance  steps  from  one  side  (where  they 
were  close  upon  a  neighbour's  premises)  to 
the  opposite  end.  In  another  house  a  veranda 
that  stretched  straight  across  the  front  of  the 
building  in  an  uninteresting  Vv^ay  was  improved 
by  carrying  it  around  on  one  side  and  throw- 
ing out  the  angle  in  circular  shape.  To  still 
another  piazza  extra  space  was  added  to  the 
floor,  which  had  been  unpleasantly  cramped, 
and  an  awning  was  put  up  for  occasional  use. 

Structural  defects  may  not  always  be  possible 
to  overcome,  but  they  will  be  rendered  less  ob- 
trusive by  a  careful  selection  of  furnishings  and 
some  ingenuity  displayed  in  arrangement.  The 
long  lines  so  commonly  seen  in  the  porches 
of  suburban  homes  may  be  made  much  less 
conspicuous  if  they  are  broken  up  by  cross  lines. 
The  latter  mav  be  effected  vv^ith  the  floor  cover- 


no 


THE  VERANDA 

ings  or  furniture  or  other  movable  furnishings. 
The  outhnes  of  the  floor  may  be  followed  in 
selecting  rugs,  and  the  general  proportions 
obser\'ed  in  choosing  the  furniture. 

An  uncovered  floor  is  not  at  aU  undesirable 
for  the  veranda  in  warm  weather,  but  if  rugs 
are  adopted  they  should  be  appropriate  to  the 
place.  The  cotton  or  jute  rugs  in  dark  colour- 
ings are  inexpensive  but  not  very  durable. 
The  East  Indian  mats  in  mixed  patterns  of 
dull  red,  €ctu  and  black  are  cool-looking  but 
unstable  in  colour.  The  grass  rugs  in  plain 
red  with  a  green  border,  or  plain  green  with  a 
rnj^  border  are  inexpensive  and  suited  to  the 
out-door  scheme.  Navajo  blankets  are  of  the 
most  lasting  valu«,  as  the  sun  or  rain  will  not 
spoil  their  dyes.  The  imported  dhurrie  rugs 
are  striking  in  design  and  colour,  but  not  last- 
ing. Their  designs  bear  a  clo.se  resemblance 
to  the  Navajos. 

The  right  placing  of  chairs  and  tables  is  an 

item  that  is  nearly  as  important  as  their  good 

selection.     As    the    veranda    is    so    frecjuently 

1 1 1 


HOME  FURNISHING 

a  stopping-place  between  trips  out-of-doors  and 
within,  it  is  wise  to  provide  a  comfortable  chair 
and  a  low  table  near  the  entrance  where  one 
may  rest  and  lay  aside  gloves,  hat  or  parasol. 

In  the  choice  of  the  furniture  the  first  thought 
is  naturally  to  provide  only  such  pieces  as  will 
endure  the  changes  of  weather;  but  so  little 
variety  is  possible  in  weather-proof  wood  that 
it  is  more  expedient  to  depend  on  two  sets  of 
chairs,  for  use  in  fair  and  changeable  weather, 
the  set  for  the  latter  light  and  quickly  moved. 

No  prettier  examples  of  porch  furniture 
can  be  found  than  those  made  in  our  native 
willow  by  hand,  in  numberless  patterns  ancl 
sizes.  By  covering  the  willow  with  a  varnish 
stain  it  can  be  brought  into  any  colour  scheme, 
and  the  seats  and  backs  cushioned  with  plain 
or  figured  materials  offer  a  further  means  for 
introducing  artistic  effects.  Glazed  chintzes 
and  hand-printed  linens  are  the  newest  ma- 
terials for  the  coverings  when  designs  are  in 
order,  and  crinkled  taffetas  and  rough-woven 
linens  for  plain  colours. 


112 


THE  VERANDA 

In  providing  scats  for  the  veranda  the  list 
Vy'ill  not  be  complete  unless  hammocks,  chairs, 
footstools,  benches  and  floor  cushions  are  in- 
cluded. 

Rustic  chairs  and  seats  have  been  for  many 
years  a  pretence  for  comfort,  and  not  con- 
structed for  beauty;  but  a  better  type  is  seen 
in  smooth  unpeeled  wood  that  is  physically 
commendable  and  attractive  in  appearance. 
One  advantage  of  this  furniture  is  its  proof 
against  rain  and  storms. 

The  colonial  table-settle,  in  its  oblong  or 
circular  shape,  has  gravitated  from  the  kitchen 
to  the  piazza,  where  it  accomplishes  a  triple 
office  as  chair,  table  and  chest.  This  article 
is  manufactured  now  in  different  sizes  to  meet 
an  increasing  demand,  from  the  single  seat  to 
others  six  or  eight  feet  long.  Two  coats  of 
out-door  paint  should  be  put  over  the  unfin- 
ished wood  if  it  is  to  be  exposed  to  the  weather. 

A  small  stool  or  bench  that  may  be  trans- 
ferred from  one  portion  of  the  veranda  to  an- 
other may  be  found  in  bamboo,  willow,  wicker 


HOME   FURNISHING 

or  in  Turkish  make  in  which  wood  and  strips 
of  cloth  are  combined. 

Rockers  with  high  backs  are  the  most  rest- 
ful chairs  for  the  porch,  but  a  variety  of  styles 
should  be  chosen  to  suit  different  persons. 
A  steamer  chair,  one  of  the  East  Indian  loung- 
ing chairs,  or  a  swinging  seat  may  supplement 
the  hammock  and  be  fitted  with  cushions  and 
pillows. 

An  uncovered  piazza  requires  some  especial 
chairs ,  like  the  tall  beach  variety,  made  in  willow 
or  wicker,  to  give  protection  from  the  sun  and 
wind  without  depriving  its  occupant  of  the 
fresh  air.  A  swinging  seat  with  an  awning 
attachment  is  also  welcome  on  the  open  porch. 

A  novel  kind  of  hammock  has  recently  been 
originated  through  the  revived  interest  in  rag 
weaving.  Strips  of  cotton  cloth  are  woven 
with  a  warp  of  linen  thread  in  the  old  rag  car- 
pet style,  with  a  result  comfort-giving,  durable 
and  pleasing.  The  hammock  taking  the  place 
of  a  lounge  needs  a  set  of  pillows  varying  in 

weight   and   size   to   suit   different   occupants. 

114 


THE  VERANDA 

Silks,  velvets,  tapestries  and  embroideries  may 
be  passed  by  in  the  search  for  hammock  pillow 
covers,  and  inexpensive  materials  chosen  from 
washable  materials,  dark  cretonnes,  or  ^udi 
dress  goods  as  galatea  or  gingham.  If  a  deco- 
rative touch  is  fancied,  some  all-over  stencilling 
may  be  applied  to  burlap  in  the  soft  finish 
or  homespun  Hncns. 

Floor  cushions  are  to  be  remembered,  and 
these  may  be  covered  with  striped  duck,  denim, 
grass  cloth  or  corduroy,  and  filled  with  moss 
or  hair. 

A  roomy  porch  will  allow,  besides  the  usual 
arm  chairs  and  rockers,  a  small  swing  chair 
for  the  children  and  a  large  swinging  settle 
for  the  older  ones  in  the  family.  A  square 
drop-leaf  table  and  an  oval  or  round  tip-table 
are  convenient  for  serving  emergency  lunches 
or  afternoon  tea.  A  light  table  that  may 
)  easily  be  transferred  from  one  part  of  the  ve- 
randa to  another  may  be  selected  in  willow, 
round,  square  or  oblong,  in  the  natural  finish 
or    .stained    any    colour.     A    tea    wagon,  com- 

"5 


HOME   FURNISHING 

pletely  equipped  with  a  tea  service,  is  made, 
to  be  wheeled  out  from  the  dining  room  upon 
the  porch,  and  the  top  is  kept  for  the  serving 
and  pouring  of  tea.  Another  device  for  this 
place  is  a  carrying  tray  of  copper  which  holds 
the  alcohol  lamps  and  kettle,  besides  the  sugar 
bowl,  cream  jug,  and  cups  and  saucers. 

An  inexpensive  device  for  holding  books 
and  papers  is  a  wide  shelf  that  folds  against 
the  side  of  the  house.  This  may  be  put  up 
by  anyone  who  is  handy  with  tools,  and  painted 
to  match  the  colour  of  the  wood  against  which 
it  rests. 

The  privacy  of  the  veranda  may  be  helped 
by  growing  vines  on  the  open  sides.  While 
hardy  growths  are  slowly  making  headway 
some  of  the  annual  vines  may  be  depended 
upon  for  a  quick  shade.  The  Japanese  screens 
and  striped  awnings  of  duck  are  further  means 
of  inclosing  the  porch.  The  former  have 
proved  so  useful  that  they  are  now  made  in 
colours  to  suit  the  house  instead  of  in  the  bright 
and  aggressive  yellow  of  the  varnished  rattan. 

ii6 


A    lirX.DKK   KOk   KI.OWKKS,   MADK  OF 
KAFHA   AND  I'dTTKKY 


A   Slll\<;i,i;i)   I'l.ANT   IJOX 


A  CAKKYINc;  TKA  TKAY    l-(il<  Till:  VI.KANDA 


THE  \ ERANDA 

Plants  grouped  along  the  outer  edges  of  the 
piazza  floor,  or  arranged  in  the  comers  or 
nooks,  will  bring  the  atmosphere  of  the  garden 
within  close  range.  Jars  or  holders  of  pottery 
may  be  used  for  the  flower  pots,  or  wooden 
boxes  painted  like  the  sides  or  floors  of  the 
piazza  may  be  filled  with  plants  and  drooping 
vines. 

Hanging  baskets  of  porcelain  for  the  veranda 
are  made  by  the  Japanese,  and  wall  pockets 
and  pot  holders,  suspended  by  strands  of  raflaa, 
are  the  work  of  our  own  country  people.  Some 
special  flower  holders  may  be  kept  for  the 
veranda  in  Spanish  or  Mexican  jars  and^  vases. 

The  piazza  should  have  a  thoroughly  prac- 
tical means  of  illumination  on  dark  nights, 
with  care  paid  to  the  entrance  steps.  If  gas 
or  electricity  cannot  be  introduced  in  a  sub- 
stantial wrought  iron  lantern,  a  picturesque 
brass  lantern  to  hold  oil  may  be  substituted. 
The  better  quality  of  paper  lanterns  made  by 
the  Japanese  may  always  be  adopted  when 
festive  occasions  rc(|uire  a  decorative  feature. 

J17 


HOME   FURNISHING 

No  part  of  summer  life  is  so  delightful  as 
that  of  having  some  of  the  meals  out-of-doors. 
A  porch  that  leads  into  the  dining  room  makes 
this  enjoyment  one  that  exacts  little  care  and 
permits  frequent  transits  from  the  interior 
to  an  open-air  feast.  The  decorations  of  the 
porch  may  be  left  to  such  utilitarian  articles 
as  lanterns,  flower  holders,  awnings  and  screens, 
which  contribute  interest  and  charm  that  are 
not  dependent  on  the  purely  ornamental. 


Ii3 


PART   SECOND 


PART     SECOND 
XIV 

FURNITURE,   NEW  AND  OLD 

Although  an  eminent  English  architect 
has  said,  "The  art  of  our  houses  should  speak 
the  language  of  our  own  day,  and  not  be  a 
reproduction  or  imitation  of  the  art,  no  matter 
how  beautiful,  of  other  days,  in  which  the 
conditions  of  life  were  totally  different,"  to 
follow  out  his  theory  would  be  to  limit  us, 
at  times,  to  inferior  styles  not  worth  perpet- 
uating and  to  deprive  us  of  much  from  the 
past  that  is  too  good  to  be  lost. 

The  household  arts  are  always  closely  asso- 
ciated with  prevailing  conditions  of  life,  and 
a  study,  however  slight,  of  the  first  should, 
to  be  at  all  comprehensive,  embrace  a  history 
of  the  times  and  the  people.  With  both  these 
points  well-defined  the  application  of  the  old 
styles  to  modern  usage  will  be  better  under- 
stood. 

121 


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In  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  century  cab- 
inet making  in  England  was  conspicuously  active. 
Mahogany  began  to  be  used  and  its  adoption 
marked  a  new  era  for  furniture,  and  drew  forth  a 
set  of  designers  whose  ability  carried  their  names 
down,  even  to  our  own  times,  with  favour. 

There  is  much  discussion  about  the  authen- 
ticity of  chairs  called  by  the  name  of  Thomas 
Chippendale,  one  of  the  most  popular  of  the 
English  furniture  designers.  The  confusion  in 
regard  to  his  models  seems  impossible  to 
clear  up,  as  Chippendale  not  only  made  original 
and  curious  designs  to  order,  which  have  been 
preserved  in  printed  form  in  his  book,  but 
also  made  the  general  line  of  furniture  called 
for  during  his  life-time.  His  patterns  show 
a  mixture  of  the  French,  Gothic  and  Chinese, 
which  he  combined  with  wonderful  facility 
into  an  artistic  whole.  In  recording  his  own 
ideas  on  the  subject  he  speaks  of  mahogany 
as  little  used  by  himself,  of  inlay  as  not  em- 
ployed at  all,  and  of  carving  and  gilding  as 
his  favourite  field  of  decoration. 

122 


FURNITURE,  NEW  AND  OLD 

Thomas  Sheraton,  another  of  these  cele- 
brated eighteenth-centur}'  designers,  excelled 
and  delighted  in  inlaid  work,  which  he  applied 
on  simple,  tapering  models.  "The  making 
of  chairs,"  says  Sheraton,  "requires  a  particu- 
lar turn  in  the  handling  of  the  slope  to  make 
them  graceful  and  easy."  Modern  builders 
of  chairs  unfortunately  do  not  always  attain 
the  "particular  turn"  of  Sheraton's  ideal,  as 
the  chairs,  many  of  them,  of  our  present  time 
are  neither  graceful  nor  easy. 

Heppelwhitc,  whose  wide  range  of  chair 
patterns  made  him  the  prince  of  inventors, 
created  a  light  graceful  style  that  at  once  be- 
came the  fashion  and  quite  put  aside  his  con- 
temporaries' attempts  in  the  same  line.  The 
heart-back  or  oval-back  chair  with  curving 
spindles  and  delicate  carving  is  the  best-known 
of  I  leppel white's  designs. 

The  work  of  these  men  was  naturally  trans- 
ferred to  America  by  the  well-to-do  families 
who  came  over  with  all  their  movable  house- 
hold effects.     Although  it  represented  the  Geor- 

'23 


HOME   FURNISHING 

gian  period  while  it  was  in  England,  it  became 
so  identified  with  our  colonial  times  that  it 
is  generally  associated  with  that  date.  Its 
tasteful,  dignified  lines  have  been  in  the  last 
quarter-century  revived  with  enthusiasm,  and 
copies  of  the  old  chairs,  sofas,  tables  and 
sideboards  are  in  demand.  The  genuine  pieces 
are  very  scarce  and  are  rarely  seen  except  in 
museums,  but  when  they  are  put  on  sale  they 
command  high  prices. 

The  opening  of  the  nineteenth  century 
brought  a  concluding  phase  to  French  house- 
hold art  which  had  been  diversified  by  the 
influences  of  the  different  sovereigns  of  a 
preceding  century.  The  artists  of  this  period, 
in  seeking  inspiration  for  the  new  Empire, 
studied  old  Rome  and  antique  Greece,  and 
reproduced  the  classic  art  with  Egyptian  de- 
tails. A  formal  stiffness  was  the  general 
effect,  and  the  ornamentation  was  chiefly 
rosettes,  a  laurel  wreath  tied  with  bow-knots, 
or  swans  and  sphinxes  made  in  copper  bas- 
relief,  and  set  on  the  furniture. 

124 


FURNITURE,  NEW  AND  OLD 

Two  architects  of  Napoleon's  time,  Percier 
and  Fontaine,  who  were  practically  the  orig- 
inators of  the  Empire  style,  became  world- 
famous.  They  designed  every  article  that 
pertained  to  the  houses  they  built — stuffs 
and  wall  papers,  table  services,  lamps,  stoves, 
clocks,  frames  and  footstools.  They  restored 
and  added  to  the  Louvre,  Saint  Cloud,  Tuiler- 
ies,  Compiegne,  Versailles,  Fontainebleau  and 
Elysee.  They  also  designed  and  built  the 
Arc  de  Triomphe  and  Arc  de  Carrousel  in 
Paris,  and  their  work  extended  even  to  royal 
residences  in  Belgium,  Germany  and  Italy. 

So  pervasive  was  this  school  of  art  that 
it  was  repeated  in  our  own  country  in  furniture 
that,  if  not  brought  directly  over  from  France, 
was  copied  here  from  French  models.  The 
original  examples  are  more  numerous  than 
those  of  the  century  preceding  it,  and  although 
its  use  succeeded  the  days  of  the  English 
colonics  it  is  often  classed  with  colonial  furnish- 
ings. 

A  Continental  attem[)t  to   intnxluce  a  new 


HOME   FURNISHING 

household  art,  called  "L'Art  Nouveau,"  has 
reached  us,  but  has  not  received  sufficient 
encouragement  on  this  side  of  the  water  to 
make  it  an  established  success.  Its  flowing 
curves,  delicate  ornamentation  and  exquisite 
workmanship  demand  special  accompaniments 
in  wall  papers  and  floor  coverings,  and  when 
carried  out  with  fidelity  some  charming  in- 
teriors have  been  produced. 

The  "mission  idea"  has,  on  the  other  hand, 
made  a  powerful  impression  in  American 
homes,  and  the  substitution  of  the  straight 
line  for  the  curved,  the  absence  of  applied 
ornament,  and  a  simple  in  place  of  a  complex 
construction  have  made  a  distinct  advance 
in  furniture.  In  its  original  setting — in  the 
mission  buildings  in  California — this  furni- 
ture was  most  primitive  in  pattern,  but  by 
various  modifications  it  has  been  rendered 
comfortable  and  fifls  a  field  for  which  hitherto 
there  had  been  either  inadequate  or  inartistic 
provision. 

The   mission   furniture,   too,   has   made   an 

126 


-i 


3 

A 


o 

A 


FLRNITUKE,  NEW  AND  OLD 

opening  for  a  simpler  fashion  in  the  accesso- 
ries of  furnishing  and  decoration — rugs,  wall 
coverings,  curtains,  potter}'.  The  permanent 
hardware  also  is  given  to  designers  who  can 
contribute  to  the  atmosphere  of  the  mission  in- 
terior, and  andirons  and  firepieces  are  selected 
wiih  regard  to  their  specific  fitness.  Even 
the  small  item  of  a  table  mat  or  a  flower  holder 
is  recognised  as  a  successful  adjunct  or  a  dis- 
appointing feature  in  a  room  pervaded  with 
mission  principles. 

The  uninitiated  often  ask,  half-skeptically, 
if  furniture  of  this  kind  has  "come  to  stay," 
or,  if  it  is  "more  than  a  passing  fad."  Per- 
haps its  most  cordial  commendation  comes 
from  the  fact  that  those  who  have  tried  it 
never  question  its  permanence  of  style.  When 
suited  to  its  environment  it  at  once  becomes, 
without  aggressive  insistence  of  its  rights,  a 
part  of  the  establishment,  contriljuting  a  re- 
poseful atmosphere  that  is  a  part  of  its  charm. 

The   sphere  of  the  lighter-weight   furniture 

made    from    reed,   cane,  bamboo,  rattan  and 

127 


HOME  FURNISHING 

willow,  is  not  limited  to  the  summer  season 
or  cottage  service.  In  certain  latitudes,  and 
with  some  conditions,  it  may  be  a  desirable 
addition  for  continued  service.  Each  variety 
offers  its  specific  advantages,  but  for  the  all- 
around  accomplishment  of  utility  and  beauty 
the  hand-made  willow  pieces  stand  foremost. 
Their  adaptability  to  every  need  of  the  house 
has  not  until  lately  been  fully  recognised, 
but  the  willow  furniture  has  now  a  wide  area 
of  usefulness. 

The  natural  tone  of  this  material  may  fit 
into  places  where  a  colour  would  be  obtrusive; 
but  sometimes  a  paint  or  stain  brings  it  into 
better  accord.  Cushions  and  pillows  for  the 
chairs,  and  covers  for  the  tables,  increase-  the 
attraction  of  this  furniture  when  each  item 
is  well  selected. 


128 


XV 

COVERINGS    FOR    THE    FLOOR 

The  products  for  the  covering  of  floors 
have  never  before  been  so  interesting  and 
varied.  We  have  not  had  the  creative  force 
of  a  WilHam  ^lorris  to  direct  our  national 
accomplishments  in  this  line,  but  we  are  keenly 
appreciative  of  the  good  things  that  exist  in 
our  own  country,  and  ready  to  give  cordial 
welcome  to  what  other  nations  bring  us.  How 
to  use  so  rich  a  variety  is  a  study  that  appeals 
to  everyone  who  takes  up  house  furnishing 
from  a  serious  point  of  view. 

During  the  past  thirty  years  a  considerable 

change  has  been  effected   in  America  in  the 

treatment   and   fitting  of   floors.     This   seems 

a  short  period  in  which  to  reckon,  when  the 

history   of   lloor   coverings   dates   from   before 

the   Christian   era,   even   to   the   ancient  days 

of    Egyjjtian    splendour.     Prior    to    that    time 

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primitive  ages  had  adopted  the  skins  of  wild 
beasts  to  make  a  comfortable  foothold  in  their 
habitations.  The  Babylonians  were  renowned 
for  their  weaving  of  rugs  and  the  ornamenta- 
tion they  introduced.  From  them  the  art 
was  passed  on  to  the  Persians  and  the  peoples 
of  India,  and  so  through  Asia  and  Eastern 
Europe  and,  after  the  Renaissance,  into  France 
and  England. 

To  the  Oriental,  rug  weaving  has  a  mean- 
ing much  deeper  than  that  of  a  mere  mercan- 
tile pursuit.  It  is  intertwined  with  customs, 
traditions,  legendary  lore  and  mythology.  In 
India  some  of  the  designs  are  handed  down 
through  generations  of  weavers.  In  Persia 
and  Turkey  the  sacramental  character  of  the 
rug  is  prominent,  as  it  was  originally  made 
for  places  of  worship  or  in  honour  of  the  visits 
of  distinguished  persons.  Certain  shapes  and 
patterns  are,  even  at  the  present  day,  reserved 
for  use  at  prayer.  They  may  be  of  any  variety 
of  v/eave  or  any  combination  of  colour,  but 
the  design   must   show  an   arch,  to  represent 

130 


COVERINGS  FOR  THE  FLOOR 

the  door  of  a  mosque.  Sometimes  three  me- 
dalHons  are  added,  one  for  the  head  of  the 
worshipper,  and  one  at  each  side  for  his  hands. 

Sometimes  the  kehm  rug,  when  woven  by 
a  Turkish  girl  to  show  her  future  husband 
her  ability  in  the  national  occupation,  has 
a  romantic  association.  Large  rugs  often  em- 
ploy an  entire  family,  and  very  fine  examples 
may  cover  many  years  of  industry.  The 
amount  of  work  put  into  a  single  yard  of  fine 
weaving  (notably  the  Persian)  may  be  esti- 
mated by  the  number  of  stitches — a  matter, 
perhaps,  of  from  two  to  three  hundred  thousand. 

The  vegetable  dyes  used  in  Persia  have 
made  the  products  of  that  country  famous 
for  their  rich  gloss  and  strong  wear.  So  care- 
fully arc  these  qualities  guarded  that  an  effort 
to  substitute  mineral  dyes  was  forbidden  by 
imperial  edict. 

The  first  really  popular  knowledge  that 
our  country  had  of  the  value  of  Oriental  rugs 
was  gained  at  the  Centennial  Exhibition  of 
1876.     The    leaven    has    been    diffused    and 

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HOME  FURNISHING 

has  increased,  until  a  widespread  interest  in 
the  history  and  manufacture  of  these  rugs 
has  resulted,  with  an  eager,  intelligent  desire 
for  their  ownership. 

In  selecting  an  Eastern  rug  the  general 
classification  should  be  kept  in  mind,  with 
the  appropriate  use  for  each  different  make. 
Its  possession  being  for  lifelong  service,  an 
understanding  of  its  best  use  and  a  knowl- 
edge of  its  origin  should  naturally  follow. 
While  it  is  impossible  to  memorise  the  bewilder- 
ing list  of  Oriental  names,  many  of  which 
are  coined  by  irresponsible  dealers,  a  general 
classification  is  not  difficult  to  keep  in  mind, 
under  which  the  genuine  makes  are  numbered. 
Outside  of  the  rugs  made  in  India,  there  are 
four  important  groups  in  the  Orient:  First, 
the  Caucasian;  second,  Turkish;  third,  Per- 
sian ;  fourth,  Turkoman. 

In  the  first  division  the  best  known  varieties 
are  the  Daghestan,  Kabistan,  Karabagh,  Shir- 
van,  Kazak,   Guendjie  and  Soumak.     In  the 

second,  the  Anatolian,  Ghiordes,  Koula,  Ou- 

132 


COVERINGS  FOR  THE  FLOOR 

shak,  Ladik,  Melas,  and  Sparta.  In  the 
third,  Tabrcez,  Senna,  Khurdistan,  Kirman- 
shah,  Sarakh,  Saruch,  Serabend,  Kirman,  Shir- 
az,  Khorassan  and  Ferraghan.  In  the  last, 
Bokhara,  Afghan,  Beloochistan  and  Khiva. 

Besides  the  contribution  to  floor  cover- 
ings from  Eastern  nations,  France,  Germany 
and  Great  Britain  have  high-class  products 
of  their  own.  The  Aubusson  rug,  which 
was  first  made  in  1669,  in  a  town  in  France, 
has  retained  its  hold  for  certain  schemes  of 
furnishing  and  decoration;  it  has  a  close 
likeness  to  a  woollen  tapestry,  and  is  without 
nap  and  made  with  a  needle.  The  Savonnerie 
is  another  manufacture  of  the  French,  but  it 
is  hand-tufted  very  close,  with  a  deep,  vel- 
vety nap.  The  Berlin  hand-made  rug  and 
the  Scotch  chenille  are  modern  styles  that 
are  made  in  special  colourings  and  sizes  upon 
order. 

America  may  also  take  a  distinctive  position 
among  rug  weavers,  from  the  primitive  work 
of    the    Indians    in    tlie    West.     The    Navajo 

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HOME   FURNISHING 

race  produces  the  best  examples  of  rugs,  and, 
it  is  said,  learned  it  from  the  Pueblos.  Per- 
haps the  Navajos'  prominence  is  due  to  the 
fact  that  their  settlements  are  the  best  adapted 
to  the  raising  and  grazing  of  extensive  flocks  of 
sheep  and  goats,  from  which  the  wool  is  obtained. 

The  simplicity  of  their  craft  is  shown  by 
their  spindle,  which  is  a  slender  stick  thrust 
through  the  centre  of  a  round  disk.  With 
this  they  work  at  their  loom  of  two  horizontal 
poles,  beginning  at  the  bottom  and  working 
upwards.  Their  native  dyes  of  vegetable  mat- 
ter are  supplemented  by  the  ravellings  of  a 
red  bayeta  cloth.  Sometimes  the  coloured 
Germantown  yarn  is  used,  but  with  a  loss  of 
archaic  style. 

The  blaze  of  colour  wath  which  the  Indians 
adorn  themselves  appears  also  in  their  rugs, 
as  their  primary  use  was  a  blanket  or  dress. 
The  patterns  vary  from  simple  parallel  lines 
to  complex  figures  that  picture,  as  do  those  of 
the  Oriental  weaver,  the  legends  and  mythology 
of  their  tribes. 

134 


COVERINGS  FOR  THE  FLOOR 

The  rag  weaving  of  our  early  settlers  has 
been  revived  in  an  artistic  form  by  using  strips 
of  cloth  in  colours  that  amalgamate  pleasantly, 
instead  of  the  hit-or-miss  colouring  of  odds 
and  ends  of  stuff. 

The  Japanese  jute  and  cotton  rugs  meet 
a  temporary  need  when  no  very  lasting  quality 
is  required.  The  Indian  dhurrie  rugs  resemble 
the  Navajo  in  design  and  in  brilliancy  of 
colour,  but  their  colour  effect  is  too  highly 
keyed  for  city  homes.  This  make  is  a  favourite 
on  yachts  and  in  camp  interiors. 

A  Scotch  ingrain  rug  that  may  be  used 
on  either  side  is  an  excellent  purchase  for 
the  home  of  moderate  cost.  Few  colours 
are  introduced  and  some  are  made  with  plain 
centres  and  a  two-toned  border,  but  the  dyes 
are  lasting  and  the  wearing  quality  assured. 

The  designs  in  the  Wilton  rugs  are  copied 
from  the  Oriental,  and  in  price  and  appearance 
these  may  be  depended  upon  to  give  satisfaction. 
Mohair  rugs  of  one  colour  give  a  pretty  touch 
of  colour  to  a  room  where  the  other  floor  covcr- 


HOME   FURNISHING 

ings  are  very  much  mixed,  and  help  to  sustain 
a  quiet  decoration.  Small  white  goatskin  rugs 
may  be  sewed  together  for  a  bedside  rug  or 
for  a  child's  room.  A  black  or  brown  fur  rug 
may  be  laid  in  front  of  a  hearth  or  in  a  room 
with  deep-coloured  floor  coverings. 

When  a  floor  is  not  shaped  to  carry  a  regu- 
lar-sized rug,  a  carpet  may  be  made  up  as  a 
rug  and  shaped  to  fit  the  room.  A  border 
may  be  sewed  around  the  edges,  or  the  plain 
breadths  of  carpet  made  up  without  a  border. 
Some  of  the  double  or  triple-width  carpets 
may  be  used  as  rugs  by  having  the  ends  bound 
with  braid  or  finished  with  a  buttonhole  stitch. 

A  consideration  of  rugs  for  the  house  brings 
up  the  question  of  floors.  Hard  wood  is  now 
almost  universally  provided  in  the  building 
of  a  new  house;  but  where  an  old  floor  is  im- 
possible to  use,  the  wood  carpet  may  be  adopted. 
This  was  originally  made  in  France,  and  it 
can  be  procured  in  two  different  thicknesses, 
in  squares  or  diagonal  pieces  that  are  nailed 
down  over  the  old  floors,  the  brads  then  being 

136 


COVERINGS  FOR  THE  FLOOR 

puttied  over  to  match  the  colour  of  the  wood. 
Wide  borders  of  various  coloured  woods,  or  sim- 
ply straight  lines,  of  a  darker  colour  than  that 
of  the  body  of  the  room,  are  used  to  finish  the 
edge  of  the  wood  carpets. 

When  hard  wood  cannot  be  had  for  the 
floors,  two  methods  are  still  open  for  cover- 
ing them  with  carpets;  namely,  to  select  the 
carpet  as  a  background,  or  to  choose  it  from 
a  decorative  standpoint.  In  the  first  instance 
a  rich  appearance  is  secured  by  the  velvet 
caq^et  in  wide  widths  without  seams.  Its  sub- 
stitute in  cheaper  goods  is  of  woollen  or  cotton 
fillings,  or  a  plain  Chinese  or  Japanese  matting. 

Carpets  that  show  a  decided  pattern  should 
be  carefully  chosen  to  bring  them  into  rela- 
tion with  the  other  furnishings.  Their  selection 
is  an  important  point,  as  their  expense  is  a  con- 
siderable part  of  the  entire  outlay  for  the  room. 

Printed  oilcloths  for  the  kitchen  stand  so 
little  wear  that  inlaid  linoleum  or  rubber 
tiling,  although  expensive,  will  repay  by  a  con- 
tinuous, satisfactory  endurance. 

»37 


XVI 

HANGINGS    FOR  THE    WALLS 

AiMATEUR  attempts  at  selecting  wall  papers 
are  usually  disappointing.  Taste  and  experi- 
ence are  imperative  in  this  department  of 
home  furnishing  and,  in  addition,  the  capacity 
to  imagine  effects  before  they  are  created. 

There  is  but  a  slight  historical  thread  to 
connect  the  rise  and  progress  of  wall  cover- 
ings. Tapestry  was  employed  in  the  Middle 
Ages,  in  castles  and  residences  of  the  nobility, 
not  only  as  a  protection  against  the  cold  and 
dampness  of  the  walls,  but  for  decorative 
purposes.  Wall  paper  began  to  be  used 
in  Europe,  as  a  substitute  for  tapestry,  about 
the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century.  Clarence 
Cook  ascribes  its  origin  to  the  Dutch  trade 
with  China  and  Japan,  and  its  earliest  print- 
ing to  Spain  and  Holland. 

Modern    wall    decoration    began    with    the 

138 


HANGINGS  FOR  THE  WALLS 

Victorian  era,  and  it  was  marked  by  a  tre- 
mendous infusion  of  artistic  power  when 
William  Morris,  poet  and  designer,  put  his 
energies  into  the  decoration  of  the  home.  A 
pennanent  place  has  been  accorded  the  radical 
innovations  made  by  him  in  the  designing  of 
wall  papers.  His  patterns  were  drawn  on  a 
large  scale,  with  a  close  repetition  of  the  de- 
sign, which  was  presented  in  clear,  bold 
lines. 

At  the  present  time  there  is  such  close  com- 
petition in  England,  France  and  Germany 
in  the  manufacture  of  wall  paper  that  a  dis- 
tinctive line  may  not  be  drawn  around  any 
nation  as  producing  the  best.  American  wall 
papers  are  rich  in  colour,  original  in  treat- 
ment and  beautiful  in  design;  and  the  same 
praise  may  be  applied  to  the  other  countries 
named  in  this  connection.  The  rapid  progress 
made  in  this  line  of  home  decoration  cannot 
be  expressed  by  one  year's  examples.  We 
must  study  from  time  to  time  at  the  Exposi- 
tions the  progressive  achievements. 

*39 


HOME   FURNISHING 

Wall  papers  of  a  high  class  are  printed  by 
hand,  each  colour  necessitating  a  separate  print- 
ing that  must  be  dried  before  a  second  colour 
is  used.  Machine-printed  papers  may  em- 
ploy twelve  or  more  colours  during  the  process 
of  production,  A  glance  at  the  margin  of 
an  untrimmed  roll  of  paper  will  show  the 
number  of  colours  by  a  series  of  dots.  The 
cheapness  of  the  domestic  wall  papers  is  owing 
to  the  pressure  of  competition.  Pretty  designs 
exist  among  the  low-priced  papers  with  almost 
the  same  frequency  that  they  are  found  in  the 
higher-priced  varieties,  but  naturally  a  cheaper 
quality  in  the  materials  cannot  give  the  same 
amount  of  wear  as  those  of  greater  cost.  Dis- 
crimination in  the  selection  makes  the  tem- 
porary result  good  or  bad  whatever  price  is 
paid. 

Modern  walls  have  as  specific  needs  of  their 
own  as  did  those  of  any  other  period.  Their 
demands  are  met  by  a  superabundant  supply, 
typical  of  many  of  our  manufacturing  indus- 
tries.    As  this  embarrassment  of  riches  covers 

140 


HANGINGS  FOR  THE  WALLS 

nearly  every  phase  of  wall  coverings,  one  must 
be  prepared,  when  making  a  choice,  with  a 
definitely  formed  idea  of  the  requirements  of 
the  room  to  be  treated — a  diagnosis,  as  it  were, 
of  its  several  parts,  to  which  the  wall  hanging 
is  to  bring  its  completing  touch : 
(i)  The  purpose  or  use  of  the  room. 

(2)  The  colour  and  kind  of  woodwork. 

(3)  The  amount  of  light  in  the  room. 

(4)  The  colour  that  harmonises  best  with 
the  floor  coverings  and  furniture. 

(5)  The  wall  colours  of  adjacent  rooms. 

If  the  paper  hanger  is  not  available  for  esti- 
mating the  amount  of  paper  the  walls  carry, 
it  is  not  difficult  to  measure  personally  the 
height,  length  and  width  of  the  room;  to  note, 
also,  the  number  of  doors  and  windows  and  if 
there  is  a  mantel.  From  these  items  the  proper 
quantity  of  paper  can  be  gauged  by  the  sales- 
man at  the  store. 

Yet  with  every  thoughtful  precaution,  the 
fjuantity  of  novelties  shown  to  the  buyer  may 
result  in  llic  i)urchase  of  just  the  wrong  thing. 


I  »i 


HOME  FURNISHING 

so  a  wise  economy  is  to  buy  a  roll  of  one  or 
two  papers  that  appear  to  suit  the  conditions 
the  best  and  test  them  at  home  by  natural 
and  artificial  light  in  the  rooms  which  they 
are  intended  to  decorate.  By  m.atching  two 
strips  of  the  paper  the  design  will  be  brought 
out  more  satisfactorily  than  when  one  small 
sample  is  brought  into  the  house. 

Styles  change  more  often  in  wall  papers  than 
in  any  other  furnishings  for  the  house.  The 
manufactures  of  one  year  can  rarely  be  found 
twelve  months  after.  Prevailing  modes  for  the 
walls,  therefore,  are  impossible  to  follow  very 
closely;  in  fact,  this  is  not  necessary  if  the  aim 
is  to  have  something  artistic  and  not  something 
merely  fashionable. 

If  the  walls  of  a  room  are  destined  to  hold 

beautiful  paintings,  or  the  patterns  elsewhere 

in  the  room  make  a  plain  wall  desirable,  the 

ingrain  and  pulp  tints  can  be  drawn  upon. 

Plain  papers  are  always  procurable,  and  they 

merit  a  careful  hanging  to  show  their  good 

effect. 

142 


HANGINGS  FOR  THE  WALLS 

Burlap,  buckram  and  crash  are  sold  by  the 
yard  and  make  a  more  expensive  pkiin  wall 
covering  than  a  paper,  but  in  some  places  and 
for  certain  conditions  the  extra  outlay  is  worth 
while.  For  instance,  in  a  hall  in  which  there 
is  much  passing  or  carrying  of  furniture  a  paper 
will  need  frequent  renewal  where  a  burlap 
would  show  more  endurance.  As  some  of 
the  burlaps  fade  when  exposed  to  the  sun,  a 
preparation  has  been  put  upon  the  market  for 
renewmg  the  colour. 

Next  to  the  plain  effect  reached  by  the  papers 
mentioned  there  arc  handsome  English  and 
German  papers  printed  in  two  tones  that  dress 
the  wall  unobtrusively  and  set  off  antique 
furniture  and  tapestry.  The  choice  of  colour 
in  the  tv.'o-toncs  may  be  a  repetition  of  some 
article  already  in  the  room — fireplace  tiling, 
door  hanging,  window  draperies,  or  some  pre- 
dominating note  in  the  floor  coverings. 

Tapestry  papers,  with  mixtures  of  greens  and 
blues,  have  an  important  mission  in  connect- 
ing woodwork  and   furniture  of  alien  colours. 

1  L? 


HOME   FURNISHING 

Usually  dark  in  colouring  and  heavily  patterned, 
these  papers  look  their  best  when  associated 
with  dark,  rich  woodwork. 

Silk-finished  papers  are  now  made  in  re- 
strained designs  in  two  tones  of  one  colour, 
two  colours  exquisitely  blended,  or  a  colour 
printed  over  in  cream-white.  When  silk,  velvet, 
damask,  jute,  wool  tapestries,  linen  and  other 
textile  fabrics  are  hung  on  the  walls  of  hand- 
somely appointed  rooms  they  are  sewed  to- 
gether in  lengths  and  tacked  to  a  light  moulding 
that  is  fitted  against  the  wall.  Often  a  lining 
of  canton  flannel  is  added. 

In  the  treatment  of  ceilings  and  borders 
there  is  often  great  lack  of  taste  and  judgment. 
The  English  plan  of  leaving  the  ceiling,  un- 
papered,  in  a  light  cream  tone,  is  a  good 
rule  to  follow,  making  exceptions  only  when 
some  special  circumstance  calls  for  them. 
A  high  ceiling  may  receive  the  plaster  relief 
work  that  is  made  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic, 
when  the  spaces  are  too  plain  and  bare  to  be 

left  undecorated. 

144 


HANGINGS  FOR  THE  WALLS 

AMicn  a  ceiling  is  not  in  order  for  plain  tinting 
a  cream-white  or  buff-white  paper  may  be  put 
on  without  lapping  the  seams  and  the  effect 
will  be  almost  equal  to  a  tint.  A  lining  linen 
or  burlap  may  be  pasted  on  a  ceiling  that  is 
not  perfectly  smooth  and  then  treated  to  a  coat 
of  kalsomine. 

A  coved  ceiling  requires  the  ceiling  tint  or 
paper  to  be  brought  down  over  the  curve  to  a 
point  where  a  wooden  picture  moulding  may 
be  attached  in  an  even  line  entirely  around  the 
room. 

A  sloping  or  uneven  ceiling  makes  a  picture 
moulding  impracticable.  Away  to  treat  a  room 
of  this  kind  that  is  both  novel  and  pretty,  is 
to  cover  the  ceiling  and  side  walls  with  one 
paper,  using  no  border,  frieze,  ceiling  tint  or 
picture  moulding.  A  paper  for  such  use  must 
be  light  in  tone  and  with  an  all-over  design. 

The  room  with  a  low  ceiling  should  never 
be  given  a  border  at  the  cornice.  The  paper 
must  be  carried  from  the  floor  until  it  joins 
the  ceiling,  and  a  narrow  picture  moulding  used 

MS 


HOME  FURNISHING 

as  a  finish.  Low  ceilings  generally  character- 
ise small  rooms,  and  these,  if  properly  treated, 
may  be  made  exceedingly  cosy  with  the  right 
papers  upon  the  walls.  Here  is  the  opportu- 
nity for  striped  papers  to  be  used  to  advantage, 
especially  in  two  tones  or  with  little  con- 
trast in  colour,  or,  as  in  bedroom  papers,  stripes 
printed  over  with  flowers. 

Borders  for  wall  papers  are  found  in  many 
styles.  The  domestic  ingrains  have  some  showy 
styles,  too  brilliant  in  colour  to  be  satisfactory 
for  quiet  effects.  The  English  mxanufacturers 
present,  for  the  same  kind  of  paper,  some 
delightful  floral  and  poster  effects  that,  in  the 
right  situation,  give  character  to  the  plain  wall. 

A  room  with  a  ceiling  over  nine  feet  may 
need  a  border,  yet  one  may  not  be  found  among 
the  regular  line.  In  this  event  a  patterned 
paper,  that  accords  with  the  side  w^all,  may  be 
cut  into  strips  to  make  a  border  of  the  desired 
width. 

Sanitary  printed  papers  find  more  than  one 

place  in  the  home — in  the  nursery,  the  bath- 

146 


A    JIOKUKK   iUK    llifc   NLKStKY 


A    PATTERN    SriTF.n    Tf)    SI.OI'INC  A    STKII'KI)    I'AI'I.U    FOR    A    KOOM 

WALLS  \vn  II   I  (i\v  (  I  II  iN(; 


HANGINGS  FOR  THE  WALLS 

room,  the  housemaids'  rooms,  pantries  and 
passageways — wherever  a  surface  may  need 
at  times  to  be  sponged  off.  A  light  weight  oil- 
cloth, in  glazed  and  dull  finishes,  with  floral 
or  geometrical  patterns,  may  be  pasted  on 
kitchen  walls,  and  a  new  kind  of  burlap  that 
has  washable  qualities  is  adapted  to  vestibule 
use. 

Picture  mouldings  are  sold  in  strips  of  twelve 
feet  at  the  wall  paper  stores  in  white  enamel, 
oak,  cherry  and  mahogany  finishes.  If  the  in- 
troduction of  a  dark  wood  to  match  the  wood- 
work (the  usual  rule  in  selecting  a  moulding) 
makes  too  decided  a  line  against  a  light  paper, 
an  unfinished  wood  may  be  put  up  and  tinted 
like  the  paper. 


M7 


XVII 

CURTAINS   AND    PORTIERES 

Windows,  although  they  seem  to  perform 
a  subordinate  part  in  the  furnishing  of  a  room, 
are,  in  fact,  most  important  and  exacting. 
Many  of  the  practical  difficulties  of  window 
furnishing  are  occasioned  by  some  mistake 
in  size,  style  or  construction;  the  artistic  prob- 
lem generally  turns  upon  the  question  of  colour. 
The  window  shade  is,  naturally,  the  primary 
consideration.  Of  what  material  shall  it  be? 
What  is  the  best  colour?  Where  shall  it  be 
attached  to  the  casement? 

The  shading  of  the  home  should  not  be  at- 
tempted in  too  economical  a  spirit.  Like  hair 
mattresses,  wire  nettings  and  other  movable 
but  permanent  furnishings,  window  shades 
that  are  well-made  and  of  good  material  will 
give  a  very  lasting  satisfaction.     If  the  casing 

of  the  window  is  deep  enough  to  allow  the  fix- 

148 


CURTAINS   AND   P0RTIJ:RES 

turc  to  be  set  within  the  frame,  it  is  better 
to  do  this  than  to  affix  it  to  the  outer  edge, 
which  should  be  left  free  for  the  curtains  and 
their  brackets. 

There  are  many  new  mechanical  devices 
that  make  the  practical  part  of  window  treat- 
ment much  easier  in  these  days  than  it  was  a 
few  years  ago.  Wooden  rollers  with  the  shades 
tacked  upon  them  arc  still  in  existence,  but  a 
newer  fashion  is  a  tin  roller  that  allows  the 
material  to  be  adjusted  without  tacks.  Some- 
times a  shade  becomes  worn  at  the  bottom,  and 
with  the  tin  roller  it  may  be  slipped  on  in  a  re- 
verse position,  first  hemming  it  at  the  top  end. 
There  are  extension  rollers  also  that  make  a 
change  of  windows  possible  without  buying  new 
rollers. 

The  old-fashioned  method  of  rolling  a  shade 
with  a  side  cord  is  remembered  by  this  genera- 
ti(jn  with  feelings  of  gratitude  for  the  improve- 
ments that  have  made  it  obsolete.  Side  hems 
give  strength  to  a  window  shade,  but  they  arc 

not  always  to  be  adopted,  as  they  increase  the 

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HOME   FURNISHING 

bulk  of  the  material  when  it  winds  around  the 
roller. 

The  inferior  qualities  of  Holland  are  likely 
to  fade  quicldy,  but  certain  makes  are  warranted 
to  hold  their  colour.  In  some  Southern  homes 
a  glazed  chintz  is  bought  by  the  yard  and  made 
up  into  window  shades.  The  flowered  patterns 
on  a  white  ground  make  an  attractive  decora- 
tion with  white  paint  and  summer  furniture. 

The  colour  of  the  window  shades  should  be 
thought  of  in  connection  with  the  outside  paint 
of  the  house  and  the  interior  woodwork — two 
requirements  that  often  clash.  Sometimes  the 
disagreement  is  so  great  that  two  pairs  of  shades 
are  the  only  way  out ;  or,  a  double-sided  shade 
painted  in  opaque  colours  may  answer  the 
same  purpose.  When  there  are  no  shutters 
to  a  house  two  sets  of  shades,  a  light  and  a  dark 
set,  are  necessary.  The  light  shade  is  hung 
towards  the  street  and  the  dark-coloured  one 
towards  the  interior  of  the  room. 

Houses  on  the  colonial  order  that  are  finished 
throughout  with  white-painted  woodwork,  and 

150 


CURTAINS   AND   PORTIERES 


with  the  exterior  painted  lemon-colour,  with 
green  blinds  and  white  trimmings,  always  look 
best  with  white  shades.  With  dark  trimmings 
on  the  exterior  a  linen  colour  is  safe  to  use. 
The  right  results  often  take  study  and  experi- 
ment and  perhaps  a  radical  change  in  some 
one  feature  already  in  existence. 

Ardent  followers  of  hygiene  have  declared 
against  the  use  of  window  draperies,  but  they 
afford  too  much  aesthetic  enjoyment  to  be  dis- 
carded in  the  majority  of  homes.  The  cur- 
tainless  room  has  a  barren,  uninviting  aspect 
that  disappears  as  soon  as  the  windows  are 
attended  to.  On  the  other  hand,  a  sensible 
treatment  niay  not  be  understood  and  a  win- 
dow may  be  completely  blocked  up  with  dra- 
peries and  fixtures  so  that  its  original  intention 
of  giving  light  and  air  is  defeated. 

In  city  houses  a  thin  lace  or  net  is  essential 
at  the  windows  as  a  screen  during  daylight 
hours.  This  is  called  a  sash  curtain,  and  is 
hung  close  to  the  glass  from  the  inside  of  the 
casing  at  the  top  to  llie  sill.     Il  is  little  more 

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HOME  FURNISHING 

than  the  width  of  the  glass  and  hangs  in  very 
scant  folds.  Or,  a  panel  of  lace  is  used  with 
an  ornament  sewed  in  the  centre  and  surrounded 
with  insertion.  In  narrow  windows  one  panel 
is  used.  Very  wide  sashes  divided  by  a  per- 
pendicular strip  of  wood  in  the  middle  may 
have  two  panels.  One  sometimes  sees  a  sash 
curtain  caught  back  at  the  sides  of  the  case- 
ment and  not  fulfilling  the  ofhce  for  which  it 
was  intended. 

In  country  and  suburban  homes  the  dressing 
of  the  windows  does  not  exact  the  exterior 
uniformity  of  appearance  required  by  the  city 
residence,  and  in  the  former  the  inner  effect 
alone  may  be  considered. 

In  addition  to  the  sash  curtains  of  the  city 
dwelling  a  second  pair  made  of  lace  is  some- 
times added.  The  older  way  of  plaiting  the 
fullness  at  the  top  and  fastening  it  to  rings  on 
a  large  pole  has  been  superseded  by  a  simpler 
fashion  of  running  a  one-inch  brass  rod  through 
a  loose  hem  at  the  top  without  a  heading. 
With  new  curtains  the  extra  length  may  be 

152 


CURTAINS   AND    PORTIERES 

turned  over  at  the  top  for  twelve  inches  to 
allow  for  shrinking  when  the  curtains  are 
cleaned  the  first  time. 

When  light  is  lacking  in  the  room  the  long 
lace  curtains  may  be  caught  back  at  the  sides 
with  cotton  or  silk  loops  that  are  made  for  the 
purpose.  Hanging  the  curtains  straight  to 
the  floor  gives  dignity  to  the  lines  of  a  room  and 
softens  an  exposure  that  may  be  too  bright  and 
glaring.  When  hung  in  this  manner  one  pair 
of  curtains  at  a  window  act  as  a  screen  and 
also  as  a  decoration. 

If  the  vestibule  door  appears  in  line  with  the 
parlour  windows  it  is  wise  to  treat  it  with  a  panel 
made  up  in  lace  that  corresponds  with  the  sash 
or  inner  draperies  of  the  front  room.  A  thin 
silk  curtain  may  then  be  hung  over  the  lace 
to  draw  at  night,  choosing  a  colour  that  accords 
with  the  woodwork. 

The  least  expensive  lace  curtain  is  one  of 
plain  bobbinct  which  may  be  bought  by  the 
yard  and  finished  with  an  edge  or  insertion. 
White  b(jbbinet  may  be  selected  to  hang  against 

153 


HOME   FURNISHING 

white  woodwork,  and  ecru-coloured  net  for 
dark  woodwork.  Fish  nets  in  cream,  white 
or  brown  may  be  bought  by  the  yard  and  hung 
without  a  finish  at  the  sides  and  bottom.  These 
are  more  suited  to  the  unconventional  treat- 
ment of  the  den,  living  room  or  sitting  room 
than  the  formal  rooms  of  the  home. 

When  lace  curtains  are  bought  by  the  pair  any 
amount  of  money  may  be  expended  on  the 
handwork  and  materials.  The  refinement  of 
a  room,  however,  is  not  increased  by  heavy 
ornamentation  of  a  thin  fabric. 

Point  Arabe  lace  has  been  a  favourite  for 
some  years  in  high-class  curtains,  and  its  deep 
colour  and  cord  effect  suit  the  furnishings 
of  handsome  houses.  The  Marie  Antoinette 
lace,  in  which  a  pattern  is  made  with  braid, 
is  graceful  and  simple.  Sometimes  a  mixture 
of  the  two  styles  is  adopted.  Cluny  lace  makes 
so  durable  and  sensible  a  curtain  that  it  has 
held  its  own  through  a  series  of  changes  in 
curtains.  Brussels  lace  is  the  daintiest  hang- 
ing for  a  drawing  room  and  one  of  the  oldest 

154 


CURTAINS   AND   PORTli:RES 

varieties.  Irish  Point  is  disappearing  and  many 
novelties  arc  coming  into  vogue. 

Lace  curtains  need  not  appear  at  all  in  the 
chambers,  unless  it  is  advisable  to  repeat  the 
selection  that  is  made  for  the  first  floor  on  the 
upper  stories.  White  muslin  in  embroidered 
dots  or  patterns,  or  with  the  tambour  edge, 
are  the  most  practical  curtains  for  bedrooms. 
Or,  a  fine  white  nainsook  edged  with  lace  or 
with  a  hemstitched  edge  may  be  used.  These 
may  be  caught  back  one-third  of  the  height 
of  the  casement  with  cotton  loops  and  tassels. 
A  three-quarter-inch  brass  rod  may  be  put  up 
across  the  top  of  the  casement,  and  slipped 
through  the  muslin,  which  is  hemmed  at  the 
top  with  an  inch  and  a  half  heading. 

Another  way  of  dressing  a  window  is  to  make 
a  ruffle  twelve  or  fifteen  inches  wide,  according 
to  the  length  of  the  casement,  and  hang  this 
across  the  top  of  the  window.  Underneath, 
two  straight  lengths  may  be  hung,  one  at  either 
side.  A  douljle  brass  rod  is  made  for  this  pur- 
pose.    The  flounce  is  sliirred  on  tlie  front  rod. 


HOME   FURNISHING 

and  the  straight  lengths  are  sewed  to  brass 
rings  on  the  under  rod  to  permit  drawing  across 
the  glass.  Such  a  treatment  looks  its  best  on 
a  wide  window. 

Over-curtains  may  be  put  up  for  the  winter 
months  for  their  comfortable  exclusion  of  drafts 
and  their  additional  contribution  towards  the 
furnishings.  As  these  are  most  conspicuous 
by  evening  light  the  test  of  artificial  lighting 
should  not  be  forgotten  in  making  a  choice. 

The  lack  of  artistic  materials  for  draperies  in 
the  middle  part  of  the  nineteenth  century  was  so 
acutely  felt  in  England  that  in  setting  up  a 
home  at  that  period  a  w^riter  says :  "What  a  rum- 
mage there  was  for  anything  tolerable!  Two  or 
three  friends  of  mine  v/ere  in  the  same  plight. 
On  the  whole,  I  remember  that  we  had  to  fall 
back  on  turkey-red  cotton  and  dark-blue  serge." 

In  vivid  contrast  nowadays  here  in  America 
is  an  unlimited  assortment  of  beautiful  goods 
for  the  home.  The  choice,  and  not  the  lack, 
is  the  problem  with  us,  making  taste  and  dis- 
cretion necessary  factors  for  happy  results. 

156 


CURTAINS   I-CIK    A    Willi.   WINDttW 


CURTAINS   AND    PORTIERES 

Among  the  three  general  departments  in 
textile  fabrics  {i.e.  materials  wrought  in  the 
loom)  are  three  kinds.  The  first,  the  plain 
surface  in  which  the  warp  and  weft  alternate 
equally;  the  second,  in  which  a  pattern  is  pro- 
duced by  the  warp  and  weft  mingling  in 
different  proportions  (as  in  all  figured  cloths 
or  tapestries);  third,  plain  fabrics  which  arc 
enriched  by  the  needle  or  printing,  as  cm- 
broideries  and  printed  stuffs. 

At  the  present  day  no  department  of  house 
furnishing  is  so  comprehensively  supplied  as 
that  of  loom-made  materials.  The  splendid 
effects  reached  in  the  old  times  are  perpetuated 
in  reproductions;  the  historic  designs  of  im- 
portant periods  may  still  be  secured  for  houses 
treated  in  those  styles;  and  the  strenuous  de- 
sire of  our  own  day  for  artistic  expression, 
whether  it  be  on  a  small  or  a  large  scale  of  ex- 
penditure, is  abundantly  met. 

In  selecting  material  for  over-curtains  some 
unity  of  tone  with  the  woodwork  in  which  they 
are  framed  and  tiie  walls  against  which  they 

»57 


HOME   FURNISHING 

hang  may  be  sought  for.  A  double-faced  ma- 
terial does  not  need  a  lining,  but  if  a  lining  is 
used  one  of  cream-white,  linen  colour  or  a 
neutral  shade  will  stand  the  light  better  than  a 
colour.  Lining  silks  and  sateens  for  curtains 
are  found  in  the  fifty-inch  width. 

A  figured  material  will  not  need  trimming, 
but  a  plain  one  is  often  given  a  crisp  style  by 
the  addition  of  a  tapestry  or  antique  braid. 

If  the  expense  that  is  often  put  into  loopings 
and  festoons,  which  are  unnecessary  for  an 
over-curtain,  were  put  into  first-class  mechan- 
ical contrivances  for  hanging  and  adjusting — 
pulley  cords,  rings,  cords  and  tassels — with  plain, 
solid  hardware,  a  better  end  would  be  attained. 

The  subject  of  doorways  is  second  in  interest 
to  that  of  the  windows.  In  tracing  the  history 
of  doors  we  find  that  in  the  Italian  palaces  of 
the  fifteenth  century  not  only  the  door  itself 
received  a  decorative  treatment,  but  also  the 
space  above,  called  the  "over-door."  At  first 
this  v/all  space  was  painted ;  later  it  was  covered 


CURTAINS   AND   PORTIEllES 

with  a  panel  of  wood  carving,  stucco  or  marble 
work.  At  a  still  later  period  the  wall  decora- 
tion was  omitted,  and  in  its  place  a  pediment 
was  supported  on  carved  brackets  over  the 
doon\'ay. 

This  form  of  decorative  over-doors  appeared 
also  in  France  and  England,  and  the  American 
colonists  of  the  wealthier  class,  in  perpetuating 
in  their  new  homes  the  interior  effects  of  the 
old,  adopted  the  pediment  over  the  door. 

Modern  doorway  treatment  in  houses  of 
moderate  cost  does  not  always  make  use  of  the 
opportunities  that  are  available  for  rendering 
this  portion  of  the  room  attractive,  and  the  ap- 
pearance of  an  apartment  is  often  seriously 
marred  by  an  imperfect  understanding  of  tlic 
importance  of  this  feature.  The  position  of 
the  door  must  be  such  as  to  give  balance  to 
tlie  other  parts  of  the  room,  and  it  is  also  essen- 
tial for  practical  reasons  that  the  doorway 
should  not  cut  into  wall  spaces  needed  for  the 
larger  pieces  of  furniture — bedsteads,  side- 
lx)ards,  sofas  and  pianos. 

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HOME   FURNISHING 

An  error  that  is  fortunately  not  often  com- 
mitted is  the  hanging  of  a  door  so  that  it  opens 
outward  instead  of  into  the  room;  but  one 
frequently  finds  a  door  hung  so  that  it  does  not 
shield  the  major  part  of  the  room  from  obser- 
vation. A  device  for  overcoming  this  defect  is 
a  swinging  crane  that  supports  a  rod  and  curtain. 

The  proportions  and  design  of  a  doorway 
are  inseparably  associated  in  making  an  artis- 
tic ensemble.  If  the  architectural  rule  of  making 
the  height  of  the  doorway  not  less  than  twice 
the  width  is  unobserved,  the  effect  will  be  too 
low  and  broad.  The  lines  of  the  room  must 
also  accord  with  those  of  the  doors ,  or  the  latter 
will  appear  too  large  or  too  insignificant.  The 
framing  of  the  door  and  its  panelling  should 
be  unified  in  design,  simple,  clear-cut  and  ex- 
pressive. 

A  door  that  has  objectionable  details  may 
be  altered  if  it  is  not  possible  to  make  a  com- 
plete change.  The  framing,  being  stationary, 
may  have  to  be  retained,  but  the  door  itself 

may  have  new  or  a  different  panel  work. 

1 60 


CURTAINS   AND    PORTIERES 

In  rented  houses,  where  no  alteration  is  per- 
mitted, there  is  still  an  opportunity  for  improve- 
ment in  making  some  arrangement  over  the 
door  that  will  carry  the  attention  from  the  im- 
perfections below  to  something  attractive  above. 
In  effect,  the  old  Italian  over-door  treatment 
may  be  modified  to  suit  the  modern  home, 
perhaps  by  the  introduction  of  a  narrow  shelf 
on  which  to  place  some  pieces  of  pottery  or 
brass  pieces.  In  arranging  a  shelf  of  this  char- 
acter above  the  eye-line  of  a  person  standing 
in  the  room,  the  choice  may  be  given  to  plates 
and  vases  that  are  decisive  in  outline  and  con- 
vincing in  colour. 

A  doorway  that  is  permanently  closed  pre- 
sents an  uninteresting  surface,  which,  however, 
may  be  used  as  a  background  for  a  picture  or 
to  hold  a  mirror.  Or,  some  narrow  shelves 
may  be  fitted  within  the  casing  and  filled  with 
books  or  pottery.  In  summer  cottages  an  un- 
used, recessed  doorway  is  of  practical  value 
as  a  wardrobe  when  it  is  fitted  with  hooks  for 
dresses,  a  low  shelf  for  shoes,  and  a  high  shelf 


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for  hats.  A  curtain  will  be  needed  to  hang  as 
a  protection  from  the  dust. 

In  a  doorway  where  a  portiere  is  used  in- 
stead of  the  swinging  or  sliding  door,  the  cur- 
tain pole  may  be  placed  twelve  inches  or  more 
below  the  upper  frame  and  a  shelf  fastened 
above  the  pole  to  hold  jars  and  vases. 

The  portiere  or  door  curtain  was  first  brought 
into  use  to  exclude  drafts.  In  city  houses  where 
contracted  spaces  have  made  openings  in  the 
wall  take  the  place  of  the  swinging  door  the 
porti&re  is  essentially  useful.  A  portiere  should 
not  be  put  up  without  a  definite  object  of  util- 
ity, but,  like  everything  else  in  the  house,  it 
may  be  chosen  to  do  its  share  towards  beauti- 
fying the  home.  The  colours  of  the  material 
should  not  contrast  too  sharply  with  the  walls 
or  the  woodwork,  nor  should  the  pattern  con- 
flict with  that  of  the  wall  paper. 

In  making  up  a  portiere  of  double-faced 
goods  the  hems  may  be  turned  towards  the 
room  where  they  will   show  the  least.     Two 

single-faced  goods  that  are  sewed  together  need 

162 


CURTAINS   AND    PORTIERES 

a  cord  or  binding  to  cover  the  edges.  If  the 
materials  are  thick  no  interlining  of  canton 
flannel  is  needed.  A  hem  is  basted  at  the 
bottom  of  each  piece  of  goods  and  the  tops  and 
sides  are  sewed  together  and  the  curtain  hung 
to  determine  the  length.  The  material  should 
just  escape  touching  the  floor.  When  the  cur- 
tain has  been  given  a  few  days  or  a  week  to 
adjust  itself,  the  two  hems  at  the  bottom  may 
be  stitched  together.  The  hem  at  the  top  of 
the  curtain  may  have  a  ring  sewed  every  four 
inches  instead  of  plaiting  the  material. 

The  supply  of  double-faced  goods  is  not 
over-large,  but  many  additions  have  been  made 
during  the  past  few  years  in  mercerised  cottons, 
velours,  reps,  jutes  and  silk  tapestries.  In 
single-faced  goods  the  variety  is  wide  in  price, 
colour,  texture  and  design. 

A  portitTe,  to  do  its  perfect  duty  of  utility  and 
decoration,  requires  to  be  hung  only  in  straight 
lengths  without  loops  or  festoons,  but  with  trav- 
erse rings  and  pulley  cords  to  prevent  its  being 
dragged  out  of  shape  by  careless  handling. 

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XVIII 

BEDS   AND    BEDDING 

The  selection  of  beds  and  the  details  of  their 
equipment  are  the  test  of  the  competent  home 
maker.  A  provision  for  comfort  in  sleeping 
rooms  would,  perhaps,  receive  more  attention 
if  we  realised  that  fully  one-third  of  a  life-time 
is  spent  there.  In  the  course  of  three-score 
years  fully  twenty,  even  if  with  only  moderate 
sleeping,  are  passed  in  bed. 

In  the  earliest  history  of  beds,  among  the 

people  of  the  East,  a  mattress  was  the  only 

article  used.     This  was  spread  out  on  the  ground 

or  floor  when  repose  was  sought,  and  afterw^ard 

folded  up  and  laid  away.     The  Greeks  at  an 

early  period  had  four-post  bedsteads,  and  added 

to  them    afterward  a  head   and    foot  board. 

The  Romans  exceeded  the  Greeks  in  luxury 

and  splendour,  making  their  beds  of  state  with 

tortoise-shell  and  ivory,  with  gold  and  silver  legs, 

164 


BEDS   AND   BEDDING 

The  Britons,  when  conquered  by  Ca:sar, 
slept  on  skins,  after  the  manner  of  the  North 
American  Indians,  using  later  sacks  of  straw 
as  mattresses.  The  house  of  the  ancient  Eng- 
lish gentleman  was  not,  as  a  general  thing, 
provided  with  bedrooms.  A  chamber  or  shed 
was  built  ao-ainst  the  wall  that  enclosed  the 
mansion  and  its  dependencies,  and  in  this  little 
cell  the  lord  and  his  lady  slept.  The  young 
men  of  the  house  slept  on  tables  and  benches 
in  the  great  hall,  with  woolen  coverlids  and 
blankets  for  warmth,  and  servants  and  at- 
tendants slept  on  the  floor.  Later,  in  the  time 
of  the  Tudors,  the  four-post  bedstead,  an  im- 
mense piece  of  furniture  having  a  canopy  sup- 
ported by  tall  posts,  one  at  each  corner,  be- 
came the  fashionable  sleeping  couch. 

The  four-post  bedstead  came  over  to  America 
with  the  early  settlers  and  was  in  favour  till 
the  early  nineteenth  century,  when  a  rather 
low  cur\'ed  head  and  footboard — ^sometimes 
designated  as  the  sleigh  bed — appeared.  Then 
followed  a  period  when  clumsy  workmanship, 

i6? 


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tall  headboards,  ornate  carving  and  heavy 
ornamentation  made  our  bedsteads  anything 
but  desirable  for  the  chamber. 

In  the  reaction  against  this  excessive  bed 
decoration,  the  open  bed  almost  went  out  of 
existence  and  folding  beds  of  every  description 
vt^ere  transformed  from  bureaus,  bookcases, 
wardrobes,  washstands,  writing  desks  and  sofas. 
A  further  change  brought  the  metal  bed  into 
general  esteem,  and  its  simple  lines,  sanitary 
surface  and  adapto^bility  to  all  kinds  of  furni- 
ture and  almost  any  colour  schcro.e  have  kept 
up  its  popularity. 

The  iron  bed  is  usually  enamelled  in  white 
paint,  but  any  colour  m.ay  be  applied  that 
is  most  fitting.  Black-painted  beds  with 
brass  trimmings  are  sometimes  seen,  but  the 
effect  is  not  pleasing.  The  brass  knobs  that 
are  attached  to  the  posts  of  the  white  iron  bed 
often  become  loosened  with  frequent  handling 
and  the  finish  soon  wears  off.  That  these 
knobs  are  not  essential  to  a  good  construction 
is  shov/n  by  a  new  style  of   bed  with  rounded 

i66 


a 
n 

as 

n 


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O 

o 

OS 

a 
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n 


BEDS   AND    BEDDING 

head  and  foot.     This  shape  is  also  made  in  the 
brass. 

The  ordinar}'  finish  for  a  brass  bed  is  a 
lacquer  that  makes  polishing  unnecessary. 
Wlicn  the  lacquer  is  worn  off  the  bed  may  be 
sent  to  the  manufactory  for  a  fresh  coating. 
A  dull  brass  finish  can  be  given  a  brass  bed 
at  a  slight  increase  of  expense  if  it  is  desirable 
to  match  the  hardware  in  the  room — chande- 
liers or  gas  or  electric  brackets,  door  knobs, 
andirons  and  fire-pieces. 

Although  metal  beds  are  so  much  in  demand, 
wooden  ones  are  still  in  evidence.  The  head 
and  foot  boards  are  now  plain  almost  to  sever- 
ity, often  following  the  style  of  other  pieces 
of  mission  work  that  find  their  way  to  the  bed- 
room. Mahogany  beds  are  reproduced  from 
colonial  models,  witli  the  tester  and  posts 
ready  for  draping,  or  with  slender  columns 
and  low  foot  boards.  Birch,  maple,  French 
walnut,  oak,  ash  and  pine,  enamelled  white 
or  covered  with  a  coloured  paint,  are  employed 
in    mrtking    bedsteads    to    match    the   bureau, 

1^7 


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washstand,  night  table,  chiffonier  and  chairs 
of  the  modern  bedroom. 

In  chambers  occupied  by  two  persons  it  is 
customary  to  provide  two  single  beds  in  place 
of  one  of  double  size,  and  special  designs  for 
these  "twin  beds"  are  manufactured. 

The  comparatively  large  outlay  for  the  springs 
and  mattress  of  a  bed  is  justified  by  their  long 
wear  and  large  measure  of  comfort.  Spiral 
springs  are  acknowledged  to  be  the  most 
resilient,  but  well-made  woven  wire  springs 
are  sometimes  preferred.  Feather  mattresses 
are  no  longer  in  use  as  bedding.  The  regu- 
lar fulL-size  hair  mattress  is  four  feet  six  inches 
by  six  feet  four  inches,  and  five  inches  thick. 
Thirty-five  pounds  of  hair  are  needed  to  fill 
this  size.  A  mattress  for  a  full-sized  bed 
wears  better  and  is  easier  to  handle  if  it  is 
made  in  two  pieces.  One  part  should  be  the 
width  of  the  bed  square,  the  other  the  remain- 
ing length. 

Hair  for  the  mattress  is  of  two  grades,  pure 
South  American   and   "drawings."     The   first 

i68 


BEDS   AND    BEDDING 

comes  from  the  manes  of  wild  southern  horses, 
and  after  it  reaches  this  country  it  is  sorted 
from  the  tail  hair  or  "drawings"  and  cleaned, 
cured  and  curled  to  acquire  the  necessary 
life  and  elasticity.  Sometimes  horse  hair  is 
combined  with  hog  and  goat  hair  and  sold 
as  mixed  hair  at  cheaper  rates  than  the  pure 
article.  Cotton  and  felt  mattresses  are  made 
now  and  used  in  some  households  in  preference 
to  hair,  and  each  variety  has  its  adherents. 

An  iron  or  brass  bedstead  becomes  a  more 
decorative  feature  in  a  chamber  when  it  has 
a  pretty  canopy  over  the  head.  The  old- 
fashioned  close  shrouding  of  the  four-poster 
is  too  unhygienic  for  our  enlightened  days, 
but  there  is  often  a  real  need  for  a  slight  pro- 
tection from  currents  of  air.  Fixtures  of  iron 
and  brass  for  holding  a  canopy  are  made  sepa- 
rate from  the  bed  to  be  added  at  any  time. 

In  a  room  with  white-painted  woodwork, 
flowered  wall  paper  and  white  muslin  cur- 
tains, a  canopy  of  cretonne  that  matches  the 
wall  paper  contributes  a  dainty  touch.     With 

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darker  and  heavier  woodwork  the  canopy  looks 
better  of  linen  taffeta  or  printed  linen.  With 
the  right  selection  of  design  one  may  almost 
literally  sleep  in  a  bed  of  roses. 

The  outfit  for  a  bed  consists  of  a  light- 
weight cotton  pad  to  lay  over  the  mattress, 
pillows,  sheets  and  pillow  cases,  blankets, 
comfortable  and  spread.  Sheets  and  blankets 
should  be  of  generous  length  to  tuck  in  well 
at  the  bottom  of  the  bed  and  at  the  sides. 
The  comfortable  may  be  folded  and  laid  on 
the  outside.  A  down  spread  is  the  lightest 
and  warmest,  but  cotton-filied  spreads  with 
a  cover  of  silkoline  or  cheesecloth  are  ordinarily 
selected. 

The  covering  for  a  bed  during  the  day- 
time can  be  made  one  of  the  effective  touches 
to  the  sleeping  room.  It  may  be  of  cretonne 
to  match  the  window  hangings  or  the  wall 
paper,  or  it  may  be  of  plain  linen  embroidered 
by  hand.  A  delicate  ornamentation  may  be 
put  on  with  a  stencil,  using  paints  that  when 

dried  are  capable  of  being  laundered.    Lace 

170 


I  WIN     MAllOi.ANV     UKUS 
AN    ANTIQUE    FOUk-l'O.STKD    UKDSTEAD 


BEDS   AND  BEDDING 

spreads  with  a  lining  of  sateen  or  silk  arc  still 
in  existence  and  also  the  spreads  of  INIarseilles 
and  dimity. 

A  bolster  roll  of  pasteboard  or  light  wood 
is  covered  with  material  to  match  the  spread 
and  laid  at  the  head  of  the  bed  during  the  day 
hours  while  the  night  pillows  are  put  away  in 
the  closet.  If  the  pillows  are  left  in  place 
and  laid  flat  a  straight  length  of  cretonne  or 
linen,  finished  with  an  edge  of  white  braid, 
may  be  laid  over  them — a  sensible  and  prac- 
tical treatment. 

When  a  valance  is  attached  to  cither  wood 
or  metal  beds  it  assists  in  the  dainty  furnish- 
ing of  the  room.  An  opaque  dimity  in  white 
or  colours  is  to  be  found  for  valances,  and 
it  may  be  added  also  for  the  bed  and  pillow 
spreads,  or  cretonne,  art  ticking  or  linen  taffeta 
may  be  used.  The  open  head  and  foot  of  the 
metal  bed  may  demand  a  slight  protection  from 
drafts,  and  the  material  selected  for  the  spread 
may  be  tacked  to  a  square  of  cotton  batting  and 
hung  Ly  tapes  from  the  u[)jjer    rod. 

'7' 


HOME   FURNISHING 

When  a  room  must  serve  the  double  pur- 
pose of  a  sleeping  and  sitting  place,  an  open 
bed  may  have  to  be  discarded  for  some  kind 
of  a  divan.  If  space  is  small  a  box  lounge 
with  the  lifting  spring  to  facilitate  moving 
the  lid  will  hold  the  bed  coverings  during  the 
day.  A  plain  frame  fitted  with  spiral  springs 
and  laid  with  a  good  mattress  makes  a  com- 
fortable bed  at  night  and  a  lounge  at  other 
times.  The  cheapest  substitute  for  a  lounge 
and  bed  in  combination  is  the  woven-wire 
cot  with  a  mattress.  To  prevent  the  sagging 
of  the  middle  part  a  row  of  spiral  springs  has 
recently  been  added. 


172 


XIX 

MANTELS   AND    INGLENOOKS 

Fireplace  histor)%  from  the  earliest  home 
Hfc  to  the  present  time,  shows  many  changes 
and  improvements,  the  most  radical  being 
the  inclosure  of  the  chimney  between  the  walls 
where  formerly  there  was  a  simple  opening 
in  the  roof.  An  example  of  this  primitive 
style  is  still  in  existence  in  this  country  at 
Newburgh,  N.  Y.,  in  the  little  old  stone  house 
which  Washington  made  his  headquarters  in 
Revolutionary  times. 

The  fireplace  opening  in  colonial  days  was 
of  great  size  in  the  kitchen,  but  smaller  in  the 
other  rooms.  The  fire  on  the  hearth  was 
the  only  means  of  warming  the  rooms,  and 
the  chimneys  were  always  placed  where  they 
could  accomplish  the  most  service.  We  won- 
der now,  with  our  comfortable  furnaces  to 
assist  our  open  hres,  how  our  forefathers  en- 

•73 


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dured  the  winter  cold  with  a  fireplace  alone 
to  give  warmth. 

From  the  point  of  utility  the  open  fireplace 
is  of  less  importance  in  the  winter  months 
in  houses  heated  by  hot  water,  hot  air  or  steam, 
than  in  the  intermediate  seasons  when  the 
furnace  is  not  kept  running  regularly.  Even 
in  the  Southern  States  a  small  wood  fire  ready 
laid  for  lighting  is  acceptable  for  occasional 
use  during  eight  months  of  the  year.  A  damp 
day  in  early  spring,  a  sudden  change  of  tem- 
perature in  midsummer,  or  a  windy  evening 
in  late  autumn  makes  the  presence  of  the  fire 
on  the  hearth  welcome. 

The  open  fire  is  desirable  from  more  than 
the  heating  point  of  view.  In  a  room,  says 
an  authority,  twenty  feet  square  by  twelve 
feet  high,  heated  by  an  open  grate,  the  air 
would  be  removed  four  or  five  times  an  hour 
with  a  moderate  draft  from  the  chimney,  and 
six  or  eight  times  with  a  blazing  fire. 

Open  fires  are  delightful  in  every  part  of 
the  house;    in  the  hall,  where  they  give  hos- 

174 


MANTELS   AND    INGLENOOKS 

pitable  greetings  to  the  incomer,  in  the  sitting 
room  of  the  family,  for  the  enjoyment  of  guests 
who  are  received  in  the  parlour  or  reception 
room,  and  in  the  dining  room,  where  a  cheer- 
ful blaze  adds  to  the  pleasures  of  the  table. 
Sleeping  rooms  that  are  provided  with  an 
open  fire  have  an  increased  capacity  for  every- 
day comfort,  and  a  helpful  dependence  for  the 
exigencies  of  illness.  In  the  nursery  the  fire 
on  the  hearth  or  in  the  grate  may  be  called 
into  requisition  at  any  season  of  the  year,  and 
in  luxurious  homes  even  the  bath  room  now 
has  an  open  fire  specified. 

A  chimney  place  in  every  room  in  the  house, 
however,  is  beyond  the  possession  of  the  family 
of  moderate  income.  Often  it  must  be  a 
single  choice  of  situation,  in  hall,  library, 
dining  room  or  parlour.  While  each  room 
makes  its  own  claim  the  chief  living  room 
of  the  household  should  rule  the  decision. 

After  the  fireplace  has  been  chosen  for  the 
living  room  its  precise  situation  may  be  thought 
of.     It  should  not  be  opposite  a  door,  or  where 

•75 


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the  fireside  enjoyment  will  be  interrupted 
by  every  one  coming  in  or  going  out  of  the 
room;  nor  should  it  be  flanked  on  either  side 
by  windows  that  will  bring  in  currents  of  air. 
The  best  help  in  planning  the  situation  of  the 
fireplace  is  gained  in  careful  study  of  other 
people's  attempts  in  the  same  line,  and  in 
avoiding  their  mistakes. 

The  construction  of  the  fireplace  is  an  in- 
teresting part  of  house  building,  for  each 
detail  may  then  express  the  specific  taste  of 
the  owner.  In  a  rented  house  only  the  and- 
irons and  fire-pieces  may  be  a  matter  of  choice. 
In  the  better  class  of  houses — those  designed 
to  meet  the  particular  requirements  of  the 
family— ^the  architect  employs  his  skill  in 
making  the  fireplace  the  central  point  of  interest 
in  the  room.  In  the  building  of  other  houses 
a  certain  sum  is  apportioned  to  the  mantels 
and  fireplaces  and  the  owner  makes  a  selec- 
tion from  the  manufacturer's  samples.  These 
naturally   follow   the   popular   taste,    and   the 

present  tendency  of  simple  lines  on  the  mission 

176 


MANTELS   AND   INGLENOOKS 

idea  without  carved  or  applied  ornament, 
and  the  return  to  the  "chaste  simph'city"  of 
colonial  days  have  greatly  influenced  the 
ready-made  mantel.  Cumbersome  wood-work 
cheap  decoration,  extrinsic  brackets  and  ped- 
estals are  less  and  less  seen  and  better  things 
are  taking  their  place. 

The  most  successful  mantel  is  the  one  de- 
signed especially  for  its  position,  fitting  so 
harmoniously  into  the  lines  of  the  room  that 
its  presence  is  never  obtrusively  felt.  It  should 
be  perfect  as  an  ornament,  for  more  attention 
centres  upon  it  than  on  any  other  part  of  the 
room.  For  this  reason  also  every  detail  of 
its  equipment,  permanent  and  movable,  should 
be  tasteful  and  attractive.  Some  of  the  most 
artistic  mantels  in  modern  house  building 
are  close  copies  of  those  found  in  colonial 
mansions. 

Mantels  of  slate  are  no  longer  used.  Brick 
or  stone  work  is  sometimes  employed  in- 
stead of  wood,  especially  when  an  expression 
of  solidity  greater  than  a  combination  of  wood 

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with  stone  or  brick,  is  souglit  for.  These 
all-stone  or  all-brick  fireplaces  are  favourites 
in  country  homes  or  buildings  of  imposing 
dimensions,  but  in  planning  a  colour  scheme 
for  such  work  the  fact  that  brick  or  stone  massed 
together  declares  its  colour  more  insistently 
than  when  either  is  broken  up  with  woodwork 
must  be  remembered.  Light  terra -cotta  and 
buff -coloured  bricks  take  their  places  more 
easily  with  other  colours  than  the  dark  red  ones. 
Bricks  or  tiles  are  adopted  to  face  a  fire- 
place with  wood  mantel  and  side  supports. 
In  Puritan  days  smooth  blue-and-white  tiles 
were  brought  over  from  Holland  and  placed 
around  the  opening,  some  with  scriptural 
scenes  painted  on  the  surface.  Tiles  are 
made  in  innumerable  designs  and  colours 
at  the  present  time  by  high-class  potteries, 
and  an  exclusive  colouring  and  pattern  will 
go  a  large  way  towards  individualising  a  fire- 
place, and  the  colour  of  the  tiles  may  enter 
into  the  scheme  that  is  introduced  in  the  room 
without  being  an  item  by  itself. 

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MANTELS   AND   INGLENOOKS 

Fireplaces  lined  with  brick  have  a  more 
homelike,  cosy  appearance  than  those  lined 
with  iron,  but  the  latter  will  stand  more  heat 
and  harder  wear  than  the  former.  The  iron 
firebacks  were  so  much  a  part  of  our  early 
settlers'  furnishings  that  they  were  often  brought 
over  from  England  with  the  family  crest  or 
shield  wrought  into  the  sheet  of  iron,  and, 
in  the  event  of  another  move  being  made, 
the  fkeback  was  taken  along  with  the  other 
household  gods. 

The  hearth  stones  may  be  of  tiling  or  bricks, 
the  bricks  giving  better  service  than  a  smooth, 
glazed  tile. 

The  selection  of  wood  for  the  mantel  is 
sometimes  a  puzzle  to  the  home  builder,  A 
good  rule  to  obser\T  is  to  bring  mantel  and 
woodwork  into  close  relationship  by  choosing 
the  same  wood  for  each.  With  woodwork  of 
cy7)ress,  pine  or  poplar  in  the  natural  fmish 
oak  is  often  adopted  for  the  mantel. 

The  necessary  fittings  of  the  open  fireplace 
arc  the  set  of  fire-pieces,  which  includes  tongs, 

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shovel,  poker  and  brush,  and  andirons  or 
grate  with  a  spark  guard  or  fire  screen.  A 
brass  fender  helps  to  dress  a  fireplace  that 
is  used  for  burning  wood  and  is  really  needed 
for  a  grate.  The  stationary  grate  has  been 
abandoned  in  the  newer  houses  for  a  basket 
or  movable  grate  of  iron.  The  simpler  the 
design  of  this  article  the  more  it  suits  its  utili- 
tarian duty. 

The  old  Franklin  fireplace,  made  by  the 
famous  philosopher  in  1742  and  called  by 
him  "an  open  stove  for  the  better  warming 
of  rooms,"  was  a  combination  of  open  fire 
and  stove,  needing  only  a  vent  in  the  chimney 
to  carry  the  pipe.  Some  of  these  Franklins 
have  survived  until  the  present  century,  and 
the  idea  has  been  revived  in  a  portable  open 
stove  that  may  be  placed  against  or  into  a 
fireplace  for  giving  an  open  fire.  This  con- 
trivance concentrates  the  heat  more  profitably 
than  the  real  open  fire. 

Andirons,  or  fire  dogs,  as  they  are  some- 
times designated,   are   an   interesting  part   of 

180 


MANTELS   AND    INGLENOOKS 

the  fireplace  equipment.  From  their  prom- 
inent position  they  are  the  means  of  enhanc- 
ing or  destroying  its  aesthetic  appearance. 
Their  movable  quality  makes  the  andirons 
appeal  more  strongly  to  the  occupants  of 
rented  houses  than  the  stationary  fittings. 
The  careful  buyer  of  andirons  seeks  for  sym- 
metrical shape  and  good  material.  In  the 
two  varieties  of  brass,  the  cast  and  the  spun, 
the  former,  although  the  more  expensive,  will 
last  longer.  A  lacquer  finish  on  the  bright 
brass  will  keep  it  for  quite  a  period  of  time 
without  any  need  of  polishing.  When  the 
dull  finish  is  preferred  the  lacquer  is  omitted. 
In  homes  where  the  time  and  attention  cannot 
be  given  to  keeping  old  brass  in  proper  condi- 
tion, a  choice  of  the  wrought  iron  is  more  prac- 
tical. This  may  be  plain  in  design,  without 
fancy  cur\'es  to  catch  the  dust.  The  best 
iron  is  that  wrought  by  hand,  and  is,  of  course, 
more  costly  than  the  cast  iron. 

The  open  fire  must  have  a  supply  of  fuel 
close  at  hand,  and  if  coal  is  used  a  brass  or 

l8i 


HOME  FURNISHING 

copper  scuttle  may  be  added  to  the  fire-pieces; 
or,  with  a  wood  fire,  a  willow  basket  or  a 
wooden  chest  may  hold  kindlings  and  logs. 
Each  one  of  these  details,  small  in  itself,  makes 
the  fireplace  satisfactory  as  a  whole. 

The  mantel  is  a  consideration  by  itself. 
In  the  cheaper  grades  of  houses  the  fireplace 
is  often  fictitious  and  there  is  no  opportunity 
for  keeping  a  fire  on  the  hearth  or  in  a  grate; 
the  mantel  with  its  side  supports  and  tiling, 
however,  gives  a  semblance  of  the  real  thing. 
The  mantel  shelf  is  then  the  point  towards 
which  the  home  maker  may  give  her  best 
attention. 

The  dressing  of  a  mantel  shelf  is  not  an 
easy  matter.  Sometimes  the  effort  of  accom- 
plishment is  so  apparent  that  it  destroys  the 
good  effect,  or  there  is  an  accumulation  of 
unmeaning  ornaments  that  is  bewildering  to 
the  eye.  Study  and  observation  are  needed 
in  this  part  of  the  home  furnishing.  Of  course, 
the  uses  of  a  room  enter  largely  into  the  choice 
of   articles   for   a   mantel.     The   dining   room 

182 


MANTELS    AND   INGLENOOKS 

is  quite  different  in  character  from  the  sitting 
or  living  room.  The  parlour,  or  reception 
room,  should  have  few  objects  on  its  mantel, 
and  those  of  a  rather  formal  style — something 
that  is  beautiful  in  itself  without  personal 
association,  and  that  will  give  enjoyment 
to  the  visitor.  Any  amount  of  expense  may 
be  put  into  such  ornaments,  the  smaller  and 
more  refined  workmanship  often  costing  the 
largest  outlay. 

A  library  mantel  should  receive  a  charac- 
teristic treatment.  A  bust  of  a  favourite 
author  in  Ijronze  or  plaster  may  be  given  the 
place  of  honour  in  the  centre,  with  some  pieces 
of  pottery  or  china  of  historical  or  artistic 
interest   at  cither  side. 

The  mantel  of  the  living  room  may  express 
the  changing  interests  of  the  household  in 
an  unconventional  arrangement  of  pictures 
and  bric-a-brac.  In  mantel  decorations  for 
the  dining  room  those  that  have  some  inter- 
esting  association    will    bring   them    in    for   a 

share  of  table  talk. 

183 


HOME  FURNISHING 

Bedroom  mantels  are  a  perplexing  matter 
to  treat  when  they  are  clumsily  built.  A 
white  marble  mantel  that  is  ugly  in  shape  and 
unpleasantly  cold-looking  may  be  improved 
by  painting  it  to  match  the  colour  of  the  wood- 
work. A  glaring,  smooth-tiled  mantel  may 
also  be  changed  for  the  better  by  applying 
the  flat-finish  brick  paint.  A  very  simple 
covering  for  a  mantel  may  add  to  the  dainti- 
ness of  the  furnishings.  A  wooden  board  is 
laid  upon  the  shelf,  first  covered  with  a  straight 
piece  of  cretonne  and  edged  with  a  narrow 
ruffle.  The  mantel  of  a  bedroom  is  the  per- 
sonal property  of  the  owner  of  the  room,  and 
naturally  takes  on  a  more  significant  expres- 
sion of  individuality  than  in  rooms  used  for 
other  purposes.  Here  familiar  and  personal 
belongings  may  be  displayed,  and  a  glance 
at  such  a  mantel  will  reveal  the  tastes  of  the 
occupant  of  the  room  more  than  an  acquain- 
tance of  months  or  years. 

The  choice  between  hanging  a  mirror  or 
picture   over   a  mantel   has   sometimes   to   be 

184 


MANTELS   AND    INGLENOOKS 

made.  For  the  former,  the  reception  room 
or  parlour  seems  the  more  appropriate  posi- 
tion. The  latter,  if  good  in  colour  and  com- 
position, impresses  itself  in  a  homelike  way 
when  admitted  to  the  wall  of  the  living  or 
sitting  room. 

Ever)'  room  with  a  fireplace  has  possibilities 
for  making  a  cosy  inglenook.  In  expensive 
houses  of  the  conventional  type  the  fireplace, 
to  be  in  keeping,  must  accord  with  the  general 
use  of  both  elegant  materials  and  handsome 
designs,  sometimes  with  a  loss  of  the  home 
element.  Yet  even  in  the  more  pretentious 
houses  a  skillful  adjustment  of  furniture  around 
the  hearthstones  will  create  an  atmosphere 
of  hospitality  and  cheer. 

"The  old-time  ingle,"  says  a  British  author, 
"had  two  main  uses.  The  first  was  to  pro- 
tect a  wide,  open  fire  from  cross  drafts.  The 
second  was  to  afford  sheltered  seats  near  the 
fire,  where  the  aged  and  feeble  could  rest, 
anrl  where  extra  warmth  was  insured  in  in- 
clement  weather." 

185 


HOME   FURNISHING 

An  inglenook  may  be  originated  in  the 
plan  of  the  house,  and  incorporated  with 
the  woodwork,  or,  it  may  be  an  afterthought 
and  suited  to  its  surroundings.  By  drawing 
a  deep-seated  lounge  or  settle  near  the  fire- 
place and  placing  a  screen  at  the  back,  an 
informal  inglenook  may  be  easily  created 
not  only  for  the  older  people  of  the  family 
but  for  others  who  enjoy  close  contact  with 
the   heat. 

An  open  fire  so  often  invites  meditation  that 
a  motto  or  thought  is  an  appropriate  decora- 
tion on  or  near  the  mantel.  Sometimes  the 
words  are  lettered  on  the  panel  under  the 
shelf  or  on  the  supports  at  the  sides.  Some- 
times they  appear  in  a  frame  like  a  picture, 
or  they  are  painted  on  the  wall  surface.  The 
idea  may  be  developed  in  whatever  way  best 
suits  the  conditions  and  tastes  of  the  house- 
hold. A  search  for  a  fireside  motto  will  pass 
many  pleasant  hours  for  the  members  of  the 
family  at  home,  or  in  libraries  where  there 
is  a  plentiful  supply  of  books  of  quotations. 

186 


AN    INGLKNOOK    UKSIi.N  III)    I-OK    A    I.IVINc;    UOOM 


MANTELS    AND   INGLENOOKS 

Emerson,  Shakespeare,  and  Stevenson  will 
be  found  profitable  fields  for  the  hunter  of 
mottoes  for  the  fireplace,  unless  a  preference 
is  given  to  a  selection  from  some  author  of 
lesser   fame. 

A  motto  lettered  on  the  fireplace  bricks 
in   an   entrance   hall — 

"Qomc,  sitte  besyde  my  hearthe, 
Tis  wide  for  gentle  companie," 

was  well  chosen  for  its  position.  In  another 
home   the    foUowincr   lines   were   burned    into 

o 

the  woodwork  of  the  mantel, 

"Blow  high,  blow  low,  not  all  the  snow. 
Can  quench  the  hearth  fire's  ruddy  glow." 

Mottoes  for  the  library  are  not  difi'icult  to 
find  among  the  many  tributes  to  literature. 
In  an  author's  study  the  admonition,  "Choose 
an  author  as  thou  wouldst  a  friend,"  was 
lettered  in  old  English  text  and  framed  as  an 
over-mantel  decoration.  Two  lines  from  Long- 
fellow's poems, — 

"The  love  of  reading,  the  sequestered  nooks. 
And  all  the  sweet  serenity  of  books," 

187 


'      HOME  FURNISHING 

were  taken  for  the  motto  of  a  library  in  a 

country  house. 

A    verse    by    Denham    is   less  known  than 

Longfellow's,   but  equally  appropriate  for  the 

reading  room: 

"  Books  should  to  one  of  these  four  ends  conduce. 
For  wisdom,  piety,  dehght  or  use." 


188 


XX 

I300KSTTELVES   AND   BOOKCASES 

Books  appeal  in  a  practical  manner  to  the 
home  maker  as  a  help  in  furnishing  the  house. 
When  this  fact  becomes  mere  generally  recog- 
nised and  better  understood  there  will  be  a 
freer  and  more  crenerous  distribution  of  books 
through  all  of  the  different  rooms  of  the  house. 

Bookshelves  and  bookcases  are  so  various 
in  style  and  can  be  bought  or  made  in  so  many 
varieties  that  no  home  need  be  without  them. 
Open  shelves  and  closed  cases  have  each  an 
advantage  peculiar  to  themselves,  but  the  former 
contribute  in  a  greater  degree  to  the  decora- 
tion of  the  room  than  the  latter,  as  the  colours 
of  the  bindings  are  more  apparent.  Doors 
of  leaded  glass  in  a  good  design  are  more  pleas- 
ing for  guarding  valuable  volumes  than  sheets 
of   plain    glass.     Latticed   panes    in    squares, 


HOME   FURNISHING 

diamonds  or  curved  lines  are  also  interesting. 
Curtains  attached  by  rods  to  the  bookshelves 
require  only  to  be  drawn  across  the  books 
when  the  room  is  in  process  of  cleaning.  With 
rich  furniture  and  choice  decorations  the  cases 
must  be  proportionately  handsome  to  be  in 
keeping.  In  less  affluent  surroundings  the 
bookshelves  may  be  of  almost  any  material 
that  accomplishes  the  object  for  which  they 
are  made — that  of  holding  the  books.  These 
shelves  may  be  of  hard  wood,  oak,  mahogany 
or  walnut,  and  stained  and  polished  or  stained 
and  finished  in  wax.  They  may  be  of  poplar 
and  stained  an  old  blue,  driftwood  grey,  forest 
green  or  a  nut-brown;  or,  they  may  be  of 
soft  pine  and  painted  white,  green,  dark  red 
or  brown.  The  best  choice,  however,  when 
shelves  are  built  against  the  wall,  is  to  follow 
the  same  finish  that  is  seen  in  the  woodwork 
of  the  room  in  which  the  shelves  are  placed. 

Ready-made  bookshelves  with  doors  and 
without  may  be  found  in  all  the  hard  woods. 
Small  shelves  for  books  may  be  a  part  even 

190 


J 
Y. 


X 

u 


'A 


!/5 


o 


■ji 
H 
73 


■J 


U4 


BOOKSHELVES  AND  BOOKCASES 

of  the  traveller's  outfit,  as  they  are  made  to 
fold  together  to  fit  into  the  bottom  of  a 
trunk. 

In  establishing  the  books  throughout  the 
house  no  conventional  arrangement  is  as  good 
as  that  which  is  originated  to  meet  the  specific 
requirements  of  each  household.  A  corner  in 
the  living  room  may  be  reserved  for  a  revolv- 
ing bookcase  in  which  the  heavier  encyclo- 
paedias and  reference  volumes  are  compactly 
brought  together.  A  large  dictionary  laid  on 
a  steel  frame  where  the  pages  may  be  turned 
without  lifting  is  better  than  a  bookcase  for 
this  valuable  family  friend.  If  magazines  are 
bound  in  yearly  or  half-yearly  volumes  a  set  of 
shelves  may  be  built  for  them. 

Sometimes  a  long  wall  space  is  available 
for  holding  bookshelves,  but  if  plenty  of 
supports  are  not  given  the  weight  of  the 
lx)oks  will  cause  the  shelves  to  sag  in  the 
middle. 

An    orii^inal    device    for    utilising    a    closed 

chimney   in   a   room   where   space   was   scant 

191 


HOME   FURNISHING 

was  to  fit  three  small  shelves  below  the  mantel. 
The  base  of  the  bookshelves  was  lettered  in 
burnt-work  with  the  motto, 

"Books  are  true  friends," 
and  the  line  embellished   with  a  flowing .  de- 


ft 


sign. 


Another  ingenious  plan  to  provide  shelf 
room  for  some  books  assisted  in  concealing 
a  conspicuously  large  steam  heater.  Two 
shelves  were  fastened  above  the  radiator  upon 
an  upright  piece  that  was  carried  down  on  each 
side  to  the  floor.  A  brass  rod  was  screwed 
to  the  lower  shelf,  and  a  curtain  gathered  over 
it.  The  shelves  were  stained  the  same  colour 
as  the  woodwork  in  the  room,  and  no  sus- 
picion of  the  real  intention  that  called  them 
into  existence  ever  came  into  the  mind  of  the 
uninitiated. 

In  a  rented  house  it  is  not  always  feasible 
to  carry  out  very  radical  ideas  in  the  intro- 
duction  of  bookshelves,   but   there   is   always 

some   expedient   for   the   home   maker   gifted 

192 


BOOKSHELVES  AND  BOOKCASES 

with  an  inventive  turn  of  mind.  For  instance, 
in  a  boy's  room  there  was  no  space  to  put  a 
set  of  shelves  on  the  floor  against  the  wall, 
and,  owing  to  the  landlord's  restrictions,  hang- 
ing shelves  could  not  be  put  up.  The  mantel 
was  finally  suggested  for  a  base  and  the  follow- 
ing plan  adopted : 

Two  shallow  boxes  were  fitted  with  a  par- 
tition that  form.ed  a  shelf  w^hen  the  boxes 
were  placed  in  an  upright  position,  and  the 
exterior  and  interior  were  painted  white  like 
the  woodwork  of  the  room.  The  boxes  when 
placed  side  by  side  upon  the  mantel  and  filled 
with  books  were  a  successful  solution  of  the 
problem  of  the  conditions. 

Sometimes  a  niche  in  the  wall  beside  the 
mantel  seems  to  suggest  the  introduction 
of  bookshelves,  and  this  location  is  so  cosy 
for  winter  enjoyment  that  the  prospective 
builder  of  a  home  may  make  it  a  factor  in  his 
own  scheme.  A  comfortable  reading  chair 
drawn  close  to  the  open  fire,  a  table  with  a 
low   light   and   books   within   easy   reach   arc 

«93 


HOME  FURNISHING 

elements  that  combine  to  make  a  picture  of 
snug  indoor  comfort  in  cold  weather: 

"Song  has  made  the  ingle  fair, 
Song  has  warmed  the  wintry  air; 
Shakespeare's  well-spring,  draught  divine, 
Milton's  deep,  sonorous  line, 
Scott's  pure  fountain  welling  up, 
Keats'  to  brim  the  wondrous  cup." 

A  spacious  room  in  a  country  house  that 
had  been  reconstructed  from  two  small  rooms 
had  a  unique  thought  worked  out  in  the  ar- 
rangement of  the  books  and  shelves.  A  poets' 
corner  was  established  near  the  fireplace, 
where  one  could  muse  over  the  burning  logs 
and  enjoy  "the  sweet  serenity"  of  the  best 
poems.  In  another  part  of  the  room  some 
religious  volumes  were  ranged  together,  under 
the  portraits  of  some  noted  clergymen,  and 
in  the  niche  formed  by  a  deep,  low  window 
seat,  some  books  on  nature  were  gathered 
together. 

In  another  home  the  books  made  a  charac- 
teristic part  of  the  furnishings  throughout  the 

'94 


WAI.I.    MIKl.VK^    K>l<    A    (llKNKK 
A    MOIlKk.N    I'kANKI.IN    STOVK 


BOOKSHELVES  AND  BOOKCASES 

various  rooms.  They  were  placed  in  low 
cases  in  the  front  hall,  in  shelves  on  the  stair 
landing,  in  all  of  the  living  rooms  and  bed- 
rooms, and  imparted  a  delightful  atmosphere 
to  the  booklover. 

There  is  often  opportunity  in  a  bedroom 
in  an  angle  of  wall  to  add  some  open  shelves. 
If  the  bookcases  that  are  for  sale  in  the  furni- 
ture stores  are  not  the  right  size,  a  plain  de- 
sign may  be  executed  by  a  cabinet  maker. 
If  a  washable  silk  curtain  is  desired  to  hang 
across  the  front  of  the  shelves  the  natural- 
coloured  pongee  is  the  most  serviceable.  The 
edges  may  be  trimmed  with  an  embroidered 
design  or  one  put  on  in  colours  with  a  stencil. 
In  considering  bookshelves  for  a  bedroom  it 
is  safer  not  to  hang  any  above  a  bed. 

A  stair  landing  that  is  wide  enough  to 
contain  some  bookshelves  and  a  built-in  seat 
will  make  this  commonplace  position  more  at- 
tractive, and  a  more  pictorial  effect  will  be 
attained  here  if  the  winchnv  can  be  one  that 
is  set  with  leaded  glass  in  good  design. 

'95 


HOME   FURNISHING 

As  books  are  one  of  the  growing  possessions 
of  the  family  they  demand  increasing  accom- 
modations. There  are  cases  designed  to  meet 
this  need,  and  these  are  made  in  sets  or  tiers 
that  may  be  added  to  from  time  to  time  with- 
out spoiKng  their  shape.  One  variety  is  made 
to  fold  compactly  together  for  shipping  or 
for  packing  away  when  not  in  use;  others 
are  made  with  open  fronts,  and  some  have 
glass  doors  as  a  protection  from  the  dust. 


196 


XXI 

WINDOW    SEATS    AND    CUSHION    COVERS 

Window  scats  arc  not  a  modem  invention. 
In  Queen  Elizabeth's  time  the  wide,  protec- 
tive walls  pierced  by  narrow  windows  often  in- 
closed the  built-in  seat.  In  the  architecture 
of  later,  more  peaceful  centuries  the  dimin- 
ished thickness  of  the  walls  made  the  station- 
ary seat  unavailable.  In  its  place  the  cabinet 
maker  provided  a  window  chair  without  a  back 
and  with  handles  instead  of  arm.s  at  the  two 
ends.  This  type  of  chair  is  seen  in  reproduc- 
tions of  the  old  models,  and  occasionally  an 
antique  specimen  is  found. 

A  seat  built  below  a  recessed  window  is 
almost  always  justified  by  its  pictorial  effect 
even  if  it  is  not  used  to  any  great  extent.  The 
person  of  matter-of-fact  tendencies  is  some- 
times   heard    to   object  to    this   kind  of  seat 

because  when  sitting    in    it  "one  cannot  look 

197 


HOME   FURNISHING 

out  of  the  window."  On  the  other  hand, 
the  visual  enjoyment  of  a  room  that  is  taste- 
fully appointed  exceeds  that  afforded  by  a 
commonplace  exterior  view,  the  former  pro- 
longing itself  indefinitely  through  artificial 
lighting. 

To  incorporate  the  window  seat  success- 
fully within  the  architectural  lines  of  the  house, 
it  is  necessary  to  realise  the  importance  of  this 
part  of  the  interior  fittings  while  the  plans  are 
in  preparation.  The  remodelling  of  an  old 
house  sometimes  makes  the  introduction  of 
a  window  seat  practicable. 

Window  seats,  notwithstanding  their  popu- 
lar appreciation,  are  rarely  too  much  in  evi- 
dence. One  may  call  to  mind  single  rooms 
where  the  window  seat  contributed  to  the 
attraction,  but  few  houses  are  rendered  dis- 
tinctive throughout  by  this  feature. 

Window  seats  are  disappointing  when  they 
are  not  properly  located  and  when  their  con- 
struction is  not  rightly  understood.  A  win- 
dow seat  in  an  entrance  hall  where  no  one 

198 


WINDOW    SEATS 

sits  and  where  it  receives  only  casual  attention 
is  practically  wasted.  Formal  rooms  of  the 
house  make  no  especial  claim  upon  this  de- 
vice, but  in  the  living  rooms  it  is  a  means  of 
securing  cosy,  inviting-looking  interiors.  The 
best  situation  for  the  window  seat  must  be 
a  question  for  individual  decision.  The  dining 
room  has  probably  the  most  urgent  claim  when 
it  is  in  much  demand  for  afternoon  or  evening 
entertainment,  and  the  picturesque  quality  of 
the  window  scat  is  most  welcome  among  the 
conventional  furnishings  of  this  department  of 
the  house. 

Brick  houses  with  walls  eighteen  or  more 
inches  deep  offer  the  simplest  solution  to  the 
making  of  window  seats,  but  with  walls  of 
ordinary  thickness  good  effects  may  be  made 
by  projecting  a  casement  window  outside  the 
running  wall.  Sometimes  an  uneven  line  of 
wall  or  a  "jog"  invites  the  introduction  of  a 
window  seat,  and  the  arrangement  is  made 
doubly  satisfactory  if  it  is  inclosed  like  a  box 

and    made    a    storage   place.     In    a    bedroom 

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a  window  seat  of  this  variety  supplements 
closet  and  bureau  in  a  helpful  way.  Sometimes 
it  is  devoted  to  extra  bedding,  sometimes 
to  sewing  materials.  In  a  living  room  it  may 
always  be  utilised  as  a  stowaway  for  articles 
that   must  be  kept  at  hand  but  out  of  sight. 

In  the  construction  of  the  window  seat 
the  primary  consideration  is  the  height.  With 
a  cushion  laid  over  the  top  of  the  seat  the 
distance  from  the  floor  should  be  less  than 
if  it  is  left  uncovered.  In  some  rooms  smooth, 
finished  boards  suit  the  conditions  better  than 
an  upholstered  cushion.  A  mattress  for  a 
window  seat  is  usually  three  inches  high. 
It  may  be  made  of  hair  if  the  best  filling  can 
be  afforded,  or  cotton,  felt  or  moss  may  be  the 
filling  at  a  less  cost.  If  cushions  for  long 
seats  are  made  in  sections  they  will  be  more 
easily  handled  on  cleaning  days  than  if  they 
are  made  up  in  one  piece. 

A  covering  for  a  seat  cushion  has  a  large 
share  in  making  a  window  seat  a  harmonious 
part  of  the  room.     A  plain  material  may  be 

200 


* 


WINDOW    SEATS 

the  choice  and  an  ample  variety  can  be  found 
in  durable  materials.  Corduroy  is  especially 
appropriate  for  such  use.  If  a  mixture  of  col- 
ours in  a  figure  is  preferred  a  cotton  or  wool 
tapestry  may  be  secured.  In  using  a  striped 
material  the  effect  is  better  if  the  stripes  run 
into  the  window  instead  of  along  the  front. 

A  scat  built  against  or  underneath  a  win- 
dow is  sometimes  very  desirable  but  unat- 
tainable. A  simple  substitute  is  a  movable  box 
with  a  lid  that  can  be  raised.  A  packing  box 
of  the  right  size  may  be  lined  for  this  pur- 
pose with  wall  paper  and  then  the  out- 
side covered  with  cloth.  Handles,  a  lock 
and  hinges  of  good  pattern  will  complete 
the  usefulness  of  the  box  for  safe  keeping, 
and  the  top  will  make  another  seat  in  the 
room. 

Pillcjws  numbering  seven  are  a  comfortable 
allowance  for  a  divan.  "One  for  each  day 
in  the  week,"  said  a  bright  little  woman  who 
illustrated  her  remark  by  bringing  her  Sunday 


20\ 


HOME   FURNISHING 

pillow  most  prominently  to  the  fore  on  the 
first  day  of  the  week,  the  Monday  pillow  on 
the  day  following  and  so  on  through  the  seven 
days. 

Before  the  selection  of  the  cushion  or  pillow 
cover  is  made,  the  filling  comes  up  with  a  ques- 
tion mark.  When  considering  the  different 
kinds  offered  at  the  stores  for  this  use,  down, 
feathers,  moss,  excelsior,  silk  floss,  hair  and 
cotton,  it  is  well  to  understand  the  position 
which  the  cushion  is  to  occupy.  For  a  stiff 
back  cushion  hair  or  moss  is  better  than  feath- 
ers or  down,  but  the  latter  are  more  suitable 
in  some  positions.  A  divan  of  the  usual 
length  may  have  three  stiff  pillows  at  the  back 
measuring  twenty-four  inches  each  way.  The 
covers  for  these  should  match,  or  nearly  match, 
the  cover  of  the  divan.  Soft  pillows  may 
be  filled  with  down,  and  the  best  quality  have 
an  interlining  to  keep  the  material  from  prick- 
ing its  way  through.  A  pillow  fiJled  with 
goose  feathers  will  be  of  more  substance  than 

the  down,  yet  soft  enough  for  comfort.    The 

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WINDOW    SEATS 

sizes  of  the  down  pillows  are  eighteen,  twenty, 
twenty-two,  twenty-four  and  twenty-six  inches 
square.  The  smallest  size,  when  not  filled 
too  tightly,  makes  a  good  head-rest  for  a  chair 
with  a  high  wooden  back.  This  little  pillow 
may  either  be  fastened  by  tapes  to  the  top 
rail  of  the  chair  or  laid  across  and  not  fastened 
on.  The  twenty- two-inch  pillow  is  the  best  for 
ordinarv'  use. 

In  looking  up  covers  for  the  cushions  the 
colour,  texture  and  design  must  meet  the 
price  that  is  to  be  paid,  and  a  further  con- 
sideration to  make  the  cover  a  complete  sat- 
isfaction is  its  suitability  to  its  environment. 
If  the  choice  is  made  at  a  store  some  definite 
guide  may  be  taken  along  in  a  bit  of  ribbon 
or  paper  that  shows  the  colours  already  ap- 
pearing on  the  divan.  A  hasty  choice  at  a 
bargain  table  is  certain  to  fail  in  making  an 
artistic  decoration  in  the  home. 

If  the  cover  of  the  sofa  is  plain  there  is 

opportunity  for  introducing  a  variety  of  colours 

upon   the   pillows.     A   rainbow   set   of  covers 

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in  red,  orange,  yellow,  green,  blue,  indigo  and 
violet  was  chosen  as  an  outfit  for  a  divan 
covered  in  a  neutral  tone,  and  in  another 
home  only  the  nasturtium  colours  were  se- 
lected for  a  green  lounge. 

A  sofa  showing  a  decided  figin*e  on  its  cover- 
ing looks  better  v^dien  its  pillows  are  quiet 
in  design  and  plain  in  colour,  and  the  richer 
and  more  elegant  tlie  sofa  cover  the  less  con- 
spicuous may  be  the  pillows. 

Pillow  squares  are  sold  sometimes  for  only 
one  side  and  when  these  squares  are  put  to- 
gether the  seam  may  be  hidden  with  a  cord, 
gimp,  fringe  or  braid.  Skillful  needlework 
is  required  to  conceal  the  stitches  in  work 
of  this  kind.  The  best  and  the  easiest  way 
to  make  up  a  pillow  cover  is  to  cut  the  two 
sides  the  same  size  as  the  pillow  and  then 
sew  up  three  of  the  sides  and  also  two  inches 
at  either  of  the  ends  of  the  fourth  side.  The 
cord  or  gimp  may  be  next  sev/ed  over  the  seams 
and  the  pillow  slipped  in  when  the  fourth  side 

is  closed   up  and  covered  with  the  trimming. 

204 


WINDOW   SEATS 

Wlicn  both  sides  of  the  pillow  are  alike  a 
French  seam  may  finish  the  edges  on  the 
right  side  without  the  addition  of  gimp  or 
braid.  This  treatment  is  fully  as  satisf actor}'', 
if  neatly  done,  as  the  former,  and  is  one  of  the 
items  for  the  home  that  may  well  be  simplified. 

In  selecting  a  patterned  material  by  the 
yard  for  a  pillow,  enough  must  be  purchased 
to  place  the  design  in  the  centre.  This,  of 
course,  does  not  apply  to  an  all-over  pattern, 
but  is  essential  with  stripes  of  varying  widths 
or  tapestry  designs. 

The  covering  for  the  sofa  bears  so  close  a 
relation  to  the  covers  for  the  pillows  that  one 
may  never  be  planned  without  considering 
the  other.  The  inexperienced  housekeeper  soon 
learns  that  the  cost  of  upholstery  work  when 
well  done  makes  durable  materials  the  most 
economical  in  the  end,  and  that  quiet  tones 
and  closely-set  patterns  blend  the  best  with 
other  furnishings. 

Lounges  covered  with  heavy  leather  do  not 

give  the   measure  of  comfort  that  is  desired 

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for  resting  hours,  and  a  sofa  less  expensively 
constructed  will  give  more  pleasure. 

If  a  plain  divan  is  used  a  cover  to  lay  over 
it  may  be  chosen.  The  modern  kelim  rugs 
are  appropriate  for  certain  rooms  when  their 
colours  are  right  with  the  surroundings.  An- 
tique rugs,  however  beautiful  in  colour,  seem 
more  in  place  on  the  floor  than  as  furniture 
coverings. 

Bagdad  stripes  sewed  together  to  spread  over 
a  lounge  have  enjoyed  so  wide  a  popularity 
that  they  are  now  copied  in  cheap  imita- 
tions. The  plain  one-colour  Bagdads,  orna- 
mented with  a  simple  stitchery,  have  not  yet 
become  so  well  known  as  to  be  common. 

Among  the  goods  sold  by  the  yard  that 
are  suitable  to  throw  over  a  divan  or  lounge 
are  the  velours,  linen  and  linen  taffetas,  reps 
and  jutes.  These  are  fifty  inches  wide  and 
cover  quite  a  range  in  texture  and  price. 


206 


o 
St: 


D 


< 


O 


XXII 

THE   PLATE   RA.IL    AND    POTTERY    SHELF 

China  and  pottery  arc  to  be  had  in  these 
days  for  so  Httlc  money,  and  their  collection 
is  a  source  of  so  much  pleasure,  that  their 
care  and  arrangement  is  a  matter  of  consider- 
able interest  in  the  home. 

In  colonial  times  pottery  was  rare  and  china 
was  scarce  and  very  precious.  It  was  often 
preserved  in  locked  cabinets  that  stood  across 
the  corner  of  the  room,  or  on  closets  built 
against  the  walls.  Both  places  are  still  in 
favour.  The  old-fashioned,  built-in  cupboard 
with  small  panes  of  glass  set  in  the  doors  is 
revived  in  houses  reproduced  on  colonial  lines, 
and  the  corner  cabinet  is  made  up  in  mahog- 
any or  oak. 

Collections  of  china  or  pottery  require  a 
suitable  setting  for  general  enjoyment.  Val- 
uable  specimens   must,   of   necessity,   be   kept 


HOME   FURNISHING 

behind  closed  doors,  but  for  the  majority  of 
pieces  there  is  no  better  place  than  an  open 
shelf  which,  with  its  simplicity  of  form,  is 
adaptable  to  all  kinds  of  treatment  and  the 
most  varied  conditions.  Its  introduction  in 
houses  elaborately  constructed  should,  of  course 
be  undertaken  by  an  architect;  but  in  unpre- 
tentious dwellings  it  may  safely  be  left  to  an  in- 
telligent cabinet  maker  or  a  competent  carpenter. 

"Plate"  shelf  or  rail  is  the  popular  name 
for  the  narrow  shelf,  but  it  may  be  used  for 
pieces  of  pottery,  copper  or  plaster.  In  fact, 
the  older  fashion  of  keeping  bric-a-brac  on 
the  mantel  and  tops  of  tables  has  very  much 
been  given  up  to  the  newer  style  of  having 
it  appear  against  the  wall. 

The  plate  rail  is  omitted  in  the  formal  hall, 
but  is  often  introduced  in  the  living  hall.  It 
is  not  seen  in  the  parlour  or  reception  room, 
but  is  frequently  found  in  the  living  room  and 
den.  Its  presence  in  the  dining  room  makes 
a  pleasing  feature  among  usually  common- 
place furnishings. 

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PLATE  RAIL  AND  POTTERY  SHELF 

The  construction  of  the  plate  shelf  should 
conform  to  the  general  style  of  the  room  in 
which  it  appears.  With  handsome  panel- 
work  or  finely-executed  carvings  a  shelf  of 
simple  design  would  be  inadequate,  and  a 
shelf  heavily  ornamented  would  appear  out- 
of-place  in  plain  surroundings. 

The  placing  of  the  plate  rail  should  be  with 
due  regard  to  the  proportions  of  wall  space, 
the  height  of  the  ceiling  and  the  horizontal 
lines  already  in  evidence  in  the  room.  If 
the  rail  can  be  kept  on  a  line  wdth  the  top 
of  the  mantel,  doors  or  windows,  a  better 
effect  will  be  gained  than  if  it  forms  a  separate 
track  of  its  own.  It  is  not  imperative  that 
the  rail  should  be  carried  entirely  around 
the  room;  in  fact,  it  is  often  wiser  to  fit  it  into 
certain  angles  or  "jogs"  in  the  room.  The 
material  of  which  the  rail  is  made  should 
correspond  with  that  employed  for  the  doors, 
windows,  mantel  and  other  woodwork,  fin- 
ished with  the  same  paint  or  stain.  An  in- 
expensive   plate    rail    can    be    bought    by    the 

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foot  at  the  paper  hangers'  estabhshments 
in  white  enamel  paint,  oak,  cypress  or  cherry. 
The  picture  moulding  should  not  be  omitted 
when  the  plate  rail  is  put  up,  as  the  former 
finishes  the  upper  wall  and  is  often  called 
into  use  to  hang  a  plate  or  tile. 

The  width  of  the  plate  rail  should  not  ex- 
ceed four  and  a  half  inches,  and  in  certain 
places  a  narrower  shelf  might  be  advisable. 
The  height  of  the  shelf  is  another  matter  that 
is  important,  for  the  whole  room  may  be 
spoiled  by  the  wrong  placing  of  the  shelf. 
Other  errors  in  the  width,  length  and  back- 
ground will  prove  less  vexatious  than  one 
of  wrong  placing. 

The  treatment  of  the  ceiling,  again,  may 
interfere  with  the  requirements  of  the  rail, 
or  the  spaces  be  too  much  broken  up  to  per- 
mit its  being  used  at  all.  If  placed  low  enough 
from  the  ceiling  line  the  shelf  will  add  to  the 
cosy  feeling  of  the  room,  but  the  opening 
of  entrance  and  closet  doors  may  interfere 
with  this  plan.    A  position  that  is  too  high 

2J0 


PLATE  RAIL  AND  POTTERY  SHELF 

makes  a  plate  rail  and  its  contents  too  in- 
significant, and  does  away  with  the  pleasure 
of  a  critical  examination  of  the  china.  The 
"simple  plate  rail"  is,  after  all,  a  matter  of 
more  wisdom  than  expense,  and  its  various 
limitations  the  guide  in  arranging  its  details. 

The  plate  shelf  being  properly  designed 
and  finished  and  correctly  placed  upon  the 
wall,  it  has  not  achieved  its  full  measure  of 
success  until  it  holds  an  interesting  assort- 
ment of  china  or  pottery.  A  common  mis- 
take in  arranging  a  shelf  of  this  kind  is  to 
expose  pieces  that  are  personally  pleasing  or 
valuable,  losing  sight  of  the  decorative  point 
for  which  the  shelf  exists.  The  choice  should 
be  such  as  to  arrest  the  attention  pleasantly 
and  hold  it  by  agreeable  colour  or  artistic 
design. 

A  shelf  for  the  dining  room  seems  at  first 
thought  to  be  almost  entirely  utilitarian  in 
purpose,  while  in  reality,  its  contents  should 
be  distinctly  ornamental.  The  china  that  is 
exposed  to  the  dust  and  dirt  is  not  available 

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HOME   FURNISHING 

for  emergencies,  and  the  vacancies  it  leaves 
when  taken  away  rob  the  room  of  its  orderly 
appearance. 

The  possession  of  a  plate  shelf  means  an 
often  unlooked-for  test  of  artistic  knowledge. 
This  is  the  arrangement  of  plates,  cups  and 
saucers,  pitchers,  vases,  jars,  bowls,  or  what- 
ever forms  of  pottery  or  porcelain  are  used 
as  a  decoration  on  the  shelf.  An  eye  for 
colour  effect  is  helpful  in  meeting  this  test, 
but  it  is  also  necessary  to  have  a  true  sense 
of  correct  lines,  shapes  and  proportions.  In 
placing  pottery  together  of  the  same  colour  but 
of  different  shades,  some  contrasting  colour 
should  separate  them,  and  pieces  of  one  height 
and  size  should  alternate  with  pieces  of  other 
sizes  and  shapes. 

Cups  and  saucers  can  be  grouped  together 
by  standing  the  latter  on  the  shelf  and  hang- 
ing the  cups  from  small  hooks  that  are  screwed 
underneath  the  rail.  This  plan  is  also  followed 
in  corner  cabinets  with  glass  doors,  where 
the  china  may  be  examined  from  the  outside. 

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PLATE  RAIL  AND  POTTERY  SHELF 

To  prevent  plates  from  slipping  off  from 
the  narrow  ledge  a  narrow  strip  of  wood  can 
be  fastened  half  an  inch  in  front  of  the  plates. 
Or,  a  more  simple  expedient  is  to  place  a  double- 
pointed  tack  in  front  of  each  plate. 

No  specific  rule  may  be  given  for  the  wall 
covering  of  a  room  where  a  plate  rail  is  used. 
The  fact  of  the  china  or  potter}^  being  worthy 
of  attention  gives  the  wall  behind  it  the  char- 
acter of  a  background.  If  a  figured  paper, 
therefore,  is  chosen,  it  should  be  without 
sharp  contrasts  in  lines  and  colours.  A  self- 
woven  fabric  or  a  two-toned  paper  will  pro- 
duce a  richer  appearance  than  a  single  colour, 
but  the  last  named  is  the  safest  choice  for 
the  inexperienced. 

The  space  below  the  shelf,  if  it  is  to  be  pa- 
pered, may  have  a  closely  set  pattern  in  heav- 
ier tones  than  that  employed  in  the  upper 
division.  Some  of  the  cloth  effects  like  buck- 
ram, burlap,  crash,  book  cloth  and  Japanese 
leather  papers  that  arc  made  for  wall  hang- 
ings, make  a  substantial  covering  below  the 

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plate  rail.  Sometimes  a  contrasting  colour 
above  the  plate  shelf  brings  the  woodwork 
into  better  harmony  with  other  furnishings 
in  the  room  than  a  repetition  of  the  colour 
used  below.  Striped  papers  above  or  below 
a  plate  rail  spoil  the  perpendicular  lines  of 
a  room  by  their  cut-off  appearance. 


214 


XXIII 

LAMPS   AND    CANDLESTICKS 

La^cps  and  candlesticks,  even  with  the 
perfection  attained  of  late  years  in  other  means 
of  artificial  lighting,  still  retain  a  wide  popu- 
larity. The  sentimental  charm  that  attaches 
itself  to  many  antique  objects  and  customs 
is  not  the  only  cause  for  the  estimation  in  which 
lamps  and  candles  are  held.  There  is  a  sub- 
stantial foundation  of  usefulness  underlying 
the  aesthetic  enjoyment  of  the  old  style,  and 
an  occasional  dependence  if  modern  methods 
suddenly  fail,  that  keeps  the  manufacture 
of  lamps  and  candlesticks  on  a  permanent 
basis. 

In  early  New    England  times  candles  were 

universally  in  use,  and  their  making  devolved 

upon  the  energetic  housewife  of  that  day.     As 

each  family  usually  slaughtered  an  ox  yearly 

t(j  provide  the  salt  beef  that   was  consumed, 

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there  was  an  abundance  of  tallow.  This 
was  put  into  the  kettle,  melted  and  strained. 
Then,  a  ball  of  candle  wick  made  of  soft, 
untwisted  cotton  having  been  purchased,  it 
was  cut  up  and  doubled.  Twelve  of  these 
wicks  were  strung  on  a  smooth,  strong  stick 
the  size  of  a  finger,  and  when  they  were  ready 
they  were  immersed  in  the  warm  tallow.  A 
coating  of  the  tallow  adhered  to  the  cotton 
vs^icks,  and  after  being  laid  aside  for  a  while 
to  cool  the  wicks  were  dipped  again  and  again. 
The  result  was  a  round  cylinder  of  tallow 
Vv^ith  a  wick  in  the  centre.  To  make  the 
"tallow  dips"  white  they  were  hung  in  the 
window  to  bleach  out  by  the  winter  sun. 

Candle  moulds  were  later  on  used  for  mak- 
ing candles  in  a  less  laborious  way.  Some 
of  the  old  moulds  may  be  seen  now  in  museums 
or  kept  by  historical  societies  to  show  the 
primitive  customs  of  our  early  settlers. 

A  candle  lamp  was  made  by  standing  a 
plain  or  a  ground  glass  shade  over  a  candle- 
stick to  keep  the  air  from  blowing  out  the 

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LAMPS   AND   CANDLESTICKS 

fiamc.  Later,  an  oil  lamp  was  constructed 
with  a  metal  bowl  which  held  sperm  oil  and 
a  wick,  without  a  chimney  or  shade. 

The  banquet  lamp  of  our  own  day  resembles 
in  height  and  general  appearance  the  brass 
lamp  of  the  early  nineteenth  century.  The 
glass  shades  of  that  date  arc  now  the  antique 
hunter's  richest  prizes,  so  scarce  arc  they. 
Sometimes  these  shades  were  hung  with  glass 
pendants  that  caught  the  evanescent  rays  of 
colour  in  a  fascinating  way.  Both  shades 
and  pendants  are  reproduced  by  modern 
manufacturers  for  those  who  like  to  have  the 
accessories  to  their  colonial  furnishings  all  in 
keeping. 

The  lamps  made  a  few  years  ago  in  this 
country'  were  among  the  marked  features  of 
our  impoverished  artistic  taste;  but  with  the 
art  element  springing  up  so  stimulatingly  in 
all  branches  of  home  furnishing,  the  designs 
for  lamps  have  been  wonderfully  improved. 
The  mechanical  construction  is  complete  in 
every  detail,   the   shapes  of  the   bowls,   their 

2:7 


HOME   FURNISHING 

colours  and  the  shades  to  fit  them  make  them 
now  a  satisfactory  possession. 

As  lamps  are  first  of  all  articles  for  use, 
they  should  be  selected  with  this  point  in 
mind,  but  with  the  aesthetic  principle  not 
forgotten.  Many  porcelain  or  pottery  pieces 
in  bowl  shape  may  be  made  up  into  lamps, 
if  the  opening  at  the  top  is  large  enough  for 
the  oil  tank.  The  Japanese  bowls,  besides 
others  in  our  American  ware,  suggest  a  wide 
assortment  to  choose  from  without  depending 
on  the  lamps  made  up  in  the  shops.  Brass 
and  copper  pieces  that  are  hammered  by 
hand  are  another  source  of  supply  for  the 
lamp  lover  who  likes  original  things  in  the 
house. 

A  pleasing  light  for  the  library  or  living 
room,  where  several  persons  must  be  accom- 
modated, is  the  double  student  lamp  in  dull 
brass  finish,  with  plain  or  fluted  coloured 
shades.  Variations  of  this  type  are  made  in 
the  older,  single  form  in  small  and  large  sizes. 

When  a  piano  is  insufficiently  lighted  by 

218 


4  #  ^  4 


A    Sill. 1. 1-    Willi    (  I  I'-IIOOKS    I'NDKKN'KA  I  II 

A    liOUni.E  STUDKNT   I.AM  I'    I  .\    ltK.\SS 

IIAKVk's    I.ION    in    I'I.ASTKR 


LAMPS   AND   CANDLESTICKS 

the  gas  or  electricity  a  standing  lamp  is  the 
best  reinforcement  that  can  be  brought  in. 
If  the  room  is  furnished  in  dark  colours  and 
heavy  wood  a  wrought  iron  lamp  will  prob- 
ably be  the  choice;  in  lighter,  more  delicate 
surroundings,  the  dull  or  polished  brass  may 
be  chosen. 

In  houses  where  the  lamps  are  carried  from 
one  room  to  another  it  is  wise  to  buy  those 
of  metal  with  handles  on  one  or  both  sides. 

The  larger  and  handsomer  lamps  are  made 
with  the  oil  tank  a  separate  part  that  may 
be  removed  for  filling  without  carrying  out 
the  base.  Drawing  room  and  parlour  lamps 
are  in  tliis  way  saved  the  risks  of  a  trip  into 
the  kitchen  department. 

The  lighting  by  candles  and  lamps  alone 
throughout  the  entire  house  is  made  a  hobby 
in  some  homes  even  when  modem  improve- 
ments arc  available.  The  result  is  always 
pleasant  and  restful,  but  entails  a  good  deal 
of  care  and  some  little  expense. 

Fur    the    evening    meal,    afternoon    teas    in 

219 


HOME   FURNISHING 

winter  and  general  bedroom  use  the  candle 
will  always  be  in  vogue.  For  the  dining 
table  candles  should  have  pretty  shades  to 
harmonise  with  the  flower  decorations,  and, 
to  prevent  accident  from  the  blowing  of  the 
flame,  the  shades  may  be  made  up  over  a  non- 
combustible  lining.  The  shape  of  candle  shades 
does  not  change  from  season  to  season,  but 
there  are  novel  ways  for  decoration  and  some 
new  materials  used  from  time  to  time.  Some 
shades  are  made  of  accordion-plaited  silk 
or  paper;  others  are  of  tissue  paper  that  is 
crinkled ;  some  are  of  white  water-colour  paper 
painted  with  buds  of  flowers;  or  vellum  is 
bordered  in  gold  paint;  some  are  formed  with 
beads  and  finished  with  a  fringe,  and  a  thin 
openwork  of  metal  is  lined  with  a  coloured 
silk. 

The  bedroom  candle  depends  upon  the 
style  of  its  holder  for  giving  interest  to  the 
smaller  items  of  furnishing  in  this  place.  The 
tin  candlesticks  painted  in  an  enamel  colour, 
and  those  of  coloured  china  are  the  least  ex- 

220 


LAMPS   AND   CANDLESTICKS 

pensive  for  rooms  of  a  cottage.  liand-paintcd 
work  may  be  applied  to  line  white  china  to 
carry  some  idea  that  appears  in  the  other 
decorations  in  the  room.  Brass  candlesticks, 
either  new  or  old,  if  of  good  design,  can  never 
be  outdone  in  popularity.  Silver  candlesticks, 
cither  separate  or  as  a  candelabra,  have  a 
special  affinity  for  the  dining  room,  where 
they  show  to  advantage  among  the  accoutre- 
ments of  the  sideboard.  Tall  candlesticks 
made  of  duU-fmished  mahogany  are  also  used 
on  the  dining  table  to  contrast  with  the  silver 
and  glass. 

Russian  candlesticks  of  hammered  brass 
that  stand  four  and  five  feet  high  are  some- 
times placed  in  a  dark  corner  to  give  a  mys- 
terious half-light. 

Lamps  and  candlesticks  are  in  most  homes 
of  to-day  but  an  auxiliary  to  the  electric  or 
gas  lights,  and  the  city  or  suburban  house 
must  have  one  or  the  other,  perhaps  both, 
before  it  is  considered  completely  equipped. 
In  the  selection  of  chandeliers  and  electroliers 

22  I 


HOME   FURNISHING 

attention  should  be  paid  to  securing  patterns 
that  are  simple  and  graceful  in  design.  There 
is  a  limited  choice  in  materials,  but  the  pat- 
terns are  legion. 

Chandeliers  are  not  necessary  in  bedrooms 
where  side  lights  do  better  service.  The 
chandelier  is  often  omitted,  also,  from  the 
living  room  and  library,  and  in  the  hall  and 
dining  room  a  hanging  lantern  takes  its  place. 
If  a  single  side  light  does  not  give  enough 
illumination  in  any  one  position  a  double  or 
triple  light  may  be  installed. 

The  fewer  kinds  of  metal  that  are  gathered 
into  one  room  the  better  is  the  result;  so,  in 
choosing  gas  brackets  and  chandeliers  the  aim 
should  be  to  bring  them  into  relation  with  the 
interior  hardware,  andirons  and  fire-pieces  that 
are  already  in  place.  Bright  brass  is  covered 
with  a  lacquer  that  renders  polishing  unneces- 
sary ;  a  dull  brass  finish  has  the  advantage  of  a 
softer,  more  refined  appearance  than  the  bright 
variety,  except  on  the  antique  specimens  that 
have  reached  a  rich  lustre  through  many  years 

222 


LAMPS  AND    CANDLESTICKS 

of  polishing.  Brackets  and  lanterns  of  black 
iron  arc  often  replaced  by  a  brass  foundation 
painted  black,  at  a  less  cost  than  the  wrought 
iron. 


'H 


XXIV 

PICTURES    AND     BRIC-A-BRAC 

Besides  being  works  of  art,  pictures  have 
an  important  office  to  fulfil  in  the  home  as 
decoration  for  the  walls,  A  room  may  be 
perfectly  equipped  with  all  the  required  furni- 
ture, its  floors  covered  with  carpets  or  rugs, 
the  window  light  screened  or  tempered  with 
hangings  and  the  walls  papered  in  artistic 
colours  and  good  designs,  and  yet  the  result  be 
not  quite  satisfying.  The  reason  is  apparent 
by  a  glance  at  the  pictureless  walls. 

The  standard  of  selection  in  this  depart- 
ment cannot  be  fixed  too  high.  In  the  case 
of  wedding,  birthday  and  anniversary  presents 
that  fail  to  reach  any  art  excellence  one  is 
helpless,  but  where  a  choice  is  possible  it  should 
be  made  seriously,  and  not  the  object  alone 
but  the  position  it  is  to  occupy  considered. 

224 


PICTUllES   AND    BllIC-A-BRAC 

Mastcq^ieccs  of  art  arc  naturally  out  of 
reach  of  the  majority  of  our  homes,  but  there 
may  be  found  at  this  time  a  larger  variety 
of  good  pictures  at  moderate  prices  than  ever 
before. 

The  selection  of  pictures  must  be  a  matter 
of  individual  taste  and  preference.  A  picture 
should  never  be  bought  because  it  is  cheap, 
nor  because  the  frame  is  desirable ;  nor  should 
the  choice  fall  to  pictures  that  look  well  in 
some  other  house,  as  environnient  has  as 
peculiar  an  effect  upon  some  pictures  as  on 
some  persons.  Restraint  should  be  exercised 
in  picture  buying,  on  whatever  scale  it  is  at- 
tempted. Perhaps  the  most  critical  test  for 
the  amateur  purchaser  is  that  of  interesting 
composition  or  motive. 

A  lover  of  old-world  art  may  find  in  copies 
of  his  favourite  pictures  a  great  deal  of  enjoy- 
ment, and  the  half-tone  engravings  from  works 
of  the  modern  painters,  Bonhcur,  Burne- 
Jones,  Landseer,  Millet  and  Rossetti  may  be 
turned    to    with    [jleasure.     Carbon    prints    in 

225 


FIOME    FURNISIiING 

brown  or  in  blue,  platinotypes  without  surface 
gloss,  etchings,  reproductions  of  portraits  from 
Reynolds,  Van  Dyck,  Holbein,  Rembrandt, 
photogravures  in  dull-grey  finish  of  literary 
scenes — these  are  a  small  number  of  the  sources 
to  be  drawn  upon  for  the  artistic  furnishing 
of  tlie  wall. 

Expense  is  not  always  involved,  either,  if 
one  knows  where  to  turn  to  in  the  high-class 
magazines  for  coloured  prints.  The  work 
of  one  illustrator  may,  for  instance,  be  grouped 
under  one  mat,  or  several  pictures  that  have 
a  correlated  interest  may  be  framed  alike  and 
hung  near  together. 

The  unique  character  of  the  coloured  prints 
of  Indian  heads  suggests  a  key-note  for  fol- 
lowing up  other  decorations  in  the  room  on 
the  same  theme,  after  the  pictures  themselves 
have  been  placed,  with  Navajo  rug,  Moki 
baskets  and  Pueblo  pottery.  In  the  same  way 
the  Japanese  prints  offer  opportunities  for 
decorations    in    sympathy    with    their    quaint 

colourings. 

226 


PICTURES   AND   BRIC-A-BIIAC 

The  subject  of  framing  may  be  entered 
upon  from  two  points  of  view:  first,  the  rela- 
tion of  the  frame  to  the  picture;  second,  the 
relation  of  the  framed  picture  to  the  room. 
It  must  always  be  remembered  that  a  frame 
should  never  be  so  emphatic  as  to  draw  at- 
tention away  from  the  picture.  It  is  simply 
and  only  a  frame  or  setting. 

IMats  are  a  part  of  the  frame  and  therefore 
an  essential  element  in  presenting  the  picture 
to  the  best  advantage.  A  few  years  ago  it 
was  the  custom  to  mount  photographs  on 
white  cards,  Ijut  the  grey,  green  or  brown 
mats  are  now  given  the  preference,  the  colour 
being  decided  by  the  general  tone  of  the  print. 
Special  cards  are  made  that  require  no  mount- 
ing of  the  photograph, .  the  bevelled  opening 
being  left  for  inserting  the  picture.  This 
does  away  with  one  of ,  the  chief  difhculties 
in  amateur  framing — the  mounting  of  the  print. 

A  passe-partout  is  an  inexpensive  expedient 
for  a  regular  frame  and  recjuires  only  a  glass 
and  binding  paper;  the  latter  may  l)e  bought 

2J7 


HOME   FURNISHING 

in  black,  green,  white,  red  and  gray — a  good 
variety  to  select  from.  It  is  better  to  fasten 
the  strip  of  binding  paper  all  around  the  glass 
first,  and  then  lay  the  glass  over  the  print  and 
its  cardboard  back.  Then  fasten  the  strips  of 
binding  paper  at  the  back.  If  the  picture  is 
to  be  hung  on  the  wall  it  will  be  necessary 
to  insert  brass  rings  at  the  back.  Rings  for 
this  purpose  are  sold  with  a  gummed  cloth 
which  is  quicldy  attached  to  the  back  of  the 
picture. 

A  group  of  pictures  may  be  put  under  one 
mat  or  framed  in  a  more  durable  way  with 
glass  and  wooden  frame.  The  record  of  a 
visit  to  the  famous  musical  city  of  Baireuth 
was  made  in  a  series  of  photographic  views 
framed  together,  the  first  picture  showing 
the  entrance  to  the  town,  and  the  other  pic- 
tures continuing  a  pictorial  story  of  adventures 
enjoyed  during  the  stay. 

The  hanging  of  a  picture  makes  or  mars 
its  success  as  a  decoration  for  the  room.  If 
the  colours  are  painted  or  printed  in  bright 

228 


PICTURES  AND    BRIC-A-BRAC 

tones,  the  degree  of  light  needed  is  not  so 
great  in  the  daytime,  or  in  the  evening,  as 
with  colours  of  less  intense  character.  Dark 
corners  of  a  room  may  be  perceptibly  bright- 
ened by  the  introduction  of  pictures  high  in 
key — pinks,  reds  and  yellows. 

Large  pictures  exact  distance  to  appear 
to  their  best  advQ,ntage.  This  rule  applies 
also  to  compositions  of  curving  brooks  and 
windmg  roads  that  seem  to  disappear  beyond 
the  horizon. 

Family  portraits  bear  so  intimate  a  rela- 
tion to  the  life  of  the  household  that  thev 
belong  in  the  living  rooms,  except  when  for 
some  reason  they  suit  the  scheme  of  decora- 
tions for  the  formal  hall  or  drawing  room. 

Portraits  of  celebrated  authors  acquire  in- 
creased interest  when  placed  near  their  works, 
and  pictures  of  composers  are  more  atten- 
tively studied  when  hung  near  musical  instru- 
ments. In  one  hbrary  a  little  gallery  of 
writers'  faces  was  made  by  filling  the  entire 
wall  above  the  bookshelves  with  prints  framed 

239 


HOME   FURNISHING 

uniformly.  The  same  idea  might  be  taken 
up  in  a  music  room  with  the  same  success, 
using  good  photographs  or  engravings  of  per- 
sons eminent  in  the  musical  field. 

Sm.all  pictures  that  are  distributed  at  in- 
tervals around  a  wall  lack  the  style  that  they 
will  present  when  grouped  more  closely  to- 
gether. The  same  principle  applies  to  the 
small  plaster  medallions  that  are  usually  dis- 
posed, each  by  itself,  around  the  room. 

Two  methods  of  hanging  pictures  with  a 
wire  cord  are  followed.  One  is  to  use  one 
hook  for  the  picture  and  have  the  cord  form 
an  acute  angle  at  the  top  where  it  falls  over 
the  hook.  The  other  plan  is  to  use  two  hooks 
and  two  separate  cords,  the  cords  making 
two  separate  perpendicular  lines  from  the 
back  of  the  frame  to  the  moulding.  The  lat- 
ter is  better  and  safer  for  large,  heavy  pic- 
tures, the  former  more  suited  to  pictures  light 
in  weight.  Whichever  way  is  preferred,  every 
precaution  for  security  should  be  taken  and 

the  risk  of  injury  to  the  picture  and  the  possi- 

230 


PICTURES   AND   BRIC-A-BRAC 

bility  of  accident  to  anyone  near  a  falling 
picture  should  be  guarded  against  not  only 
by  a  careful  attention  to  the  picture  when 
first  hung  but  by  a  general  examination  from 
time  to  time.  The  superstition  about  the 
falling  mirror  would  soon  be  dispelled  if  com- 
mon-sense measures  for  safety  were  observed. 
String  should  not,  of  course,  be  used  for  pic- 
ture hanging  as  it  is  likely  to  give  way  at  any 
moment.  The  v;ire  picture  cord  in  silver 
finish  sometimes  stands  out  too  brightly  on 
a  wall  and  the  gilt  finish  may  then  be  sub- 
stituted. 

Pictures  that  arc  too  small  to  be  seen  in 
reasonable  detail  from  any  part  of  the  room 
need  not  be  placed  upon  the  walls.  In  ar- 
ranging pictures  the  aim  should  be  to  convey 
a  sense  of  repose  and  dignity,  and  this  is  never 
achieved  where  there  is  overcrowding. 

Almost  ever}'  picture  looks  best  vv^hen  hung 
Hat  or  nearly  flat  against  the  wall.  This  is 
done  by  having  the  rings  or  screws  on  the 
back   (jf   the   frame  (by   which   the  picture   is 

23 « 


HOME   FURNISHING 

hung)  fastened  n'ear  the  top.  If,  however, 
the  picture  requires  tipping  forward  to  catch 
the  Kght,  it  may  be  kept  in  position  by  a  tack 
placed  under  the  lower  part  of  the  frame. 

The  proper  height  at  which  to  hang  a  pic- 
ture is  often  questioned.  A  good  general 
rule  is  to  bring  the  centre  of  the  picture 
within  range  of  the  eyes  of  a  person  of  ordi- 
nary height  as  he  stands  before  it.  Sometimes 
three  pictures  framed  alike  and  similar  in 
composition  or  colouring  are  to  be  hung  one 
above  another.  The  middle  picture,  which 
will  look  better  if  it  is  a  size  smaller  than  the 
two  others,  should  be  the  one  selected  to  be 
in  eye  range.  The  space  of  an  inch  or  two, 
in  such  conditions,  may  be  left  between  the 
pictures. 

One  common  mistake  of  an  inexperienced 
picture  hanger  is  to  bring  into  juxtaposition 
dark  and  light  mats.  Harmonious  results  are 
impossible  to  attain  when  this  is  done. 

In  some  houses  the  hallway  is  quite  over- 
looked  in   the   matter   of   picture   decoration. 

232 


PICTURES    AND   BRIC-A-BRAC 

The  opportunity,  either  in  a  living  or  an  en- 
trance hall,  is  too  good  to  be  lost,  and  when 
well  met  adds  to  the  good  impression  that 
is  desirable  for  the  entrance  to  the  home. 

Bric-a-brac  in  the  cheap  meaning  of  the 
word  is  not  in  good  taste.  Rare,  beautiful 
objects  and  those  of  historical  interest  bear 
quite  a  different  character  in  the  decoration 
of  the  home.  A  collection  of  old  china  serves 
more  than  one  purpose  when  carried  out  with 
intelligence,  and  so  with  other  fancies  for 
gathering  representative  pieces,  whether  they 
are  tea  pots,  tea  caddies,  jugs,  pepper  pots 
or  steins. 

Faience,  the  name  for  glazed  potter}',  came 
from  the  city  of  Faienza  in  Italy.  The  Ital- 
ians borrowed  this  art  from  the  Moors  in  Spain 
and  reached  their  highest  mark  of  excellence 
in  the  fifteenth  century.  A  return  to  the 
simplicity  and  beauty  of  those  times  has  lately 
been  made  in  America  in  a  unicjue  ware  called 
the   Grueby,  in   which   the  glaze   is   soft  and 

233 


KOME  FURNISHING 

dull  and  lightly  decorated  in  self-colour.  The 
vases  are  turned  on  the  primitive  potter's 
wheel  that  dates  back  to  ancient  Egypt;  then 
the  clay  is  dried  slightly,  and  while  still  damp 
the  outline  of  the  decoration  (a  leaf  or  a  flower) 
is  drawn  on  it,  and  a  thin  rope  of  clay  pressed 
in  place  and  modelled  in  shape.  This  is 
baked  and  then  the  enamel  is  fired  on  it.  Each 
piece  is  different  from  the  next,  and  individ- 
ually attractive.  The  colours  of  the  Grueby 
pottery  are  exquisite  shades  of  green,  blue, 
brown,  red  and  yellow. 

Another  pottery  distinctly  American,  for  which 
a  position  may  be  claimed  with  that  of  older 
nations,  is  the  Rookw^ood.  New  styles  have 
each  year  been  brought  out,  until  now  every 
room  in  the  house  may  have  a  suitable  kind. 
The  Newcomb,  Merrimac,  Volkmar,  Poillon, 
Van  Briggle  and  Dedham  ware  are  all  intrin- 
sically interesting  for  home  decoration. 

The  appreciation  of  plaster  casts  has  grad- 
ually increased  and  with  it  a  larger  variety 
is  at  hand  from  which  to  make  selections  for 

234 


PICTURES  AND  BRIC-A-BRAC 

the  home.  The  prices,  too,  bring  the  casts 
within  reach  of  the  most  modest  incomes. 
Some  well-known  subjects  are  the  musical 
Cupids,  the  Venus  de  Alilo,  the  bust  of  Dona- 
tello,  famous  authors  or  composers,  the  Tanagra 
figures,  Barye's  lion,  the  Madonnas,  and  fancy 
heads.  The  ivory-tinted  casts  take  their  place 
better  in  a  private  room  than  the  white  ones. 
If  white  ones  are  to  be  used  a  simple  method 
for  changing  the  colour  is  to  dissolve  beeswax 
in  turpentine  and  add  a  little  burnt  umber. 
This  may  be  rubbed  on  carefully  and  wiped 
off,  leaving  whatever  amount  of  tint  is  desired. 
One  of  the  useful  kinds  of  bric-a-brac  is 
the  flower  holder.  Whatever  is  selected  for 
this  office  may  be  chosen  as  the  frame  is  chosen 
for  a  picture,  to  set  off  the  beauty  of  the  blos- 
soms. The  plain  glass  fish  globes  are  the 
least  expensive  flower  holder  for  the  centre 
of  the  dining  table;  iridescent  glass  is  higher 
priced  but  not  costly.  If  heavier  jars  are 
preferred  for  certain  flowers  the  Japanese  vases 
offer  a  wide  variety. 

235 


XXV 

BASKETS     AND     JARDINIERES 

Baskets  will  always,  by  their  office  of  util- 
ity, claim  a  certain  amount  of  attention  in  the 
home.  A  few  years  ago  the  selection  of  a 
basket  for  household  use  was  quickly  made ; 
in  fact,  the  variety  to  be  found  in  the  shops 
was  so  limited  that  it  was  scarcely  a  matter 
of  choice.  Interest  in  basketry,  however, 
has  developed  at  a  rapid  pace,  and  through 
the  Arts  and  Crafts  movement  and  an  ap- 
preciative collecting  of  Indian  work  this  item 
in  home  furnishing  is  on  a  higher  plane  than 
ever  before.  It  follows  that  the  productions 
of  the  hand  workers  have  naturally  raised  the 
standard  of  machine-wrought  articles,  and  a 
better  variety  may  be  found  now  in  these 
than  ever  before. 

Indian  baskets  are  as  fascinating  to  some 
collectors  as  rugs,  silver,  furniture  or  china 
to  others.     Their  value  is  recognised  by  mu- 

236 


AN    Ml.))    I'll    1  I    Kl.    M  I  KKUK 
A    (MIST    l"<il<    KiY.S 


BASKETS   AND   JARDINIERES 

seums  in  large  towns,  and  their  accumulation 
is  a  matter  of  civic  pride.  The  old  baskets, 
many  of  them,  are  so  softly  coloured  that 
they  remind  one  of  antic[ue  tapestries,  and 
their  quaint,  curious  patterns,  symbolic  of 
the  life  and  illustrative  of  the  legends  of  a 
passing  race,  are  so  finely  woven  that  the 
making  of  a  single  round  often  consumes  an 
entire  day.  The  process  of  splitting,  curing 
and  bleaching  the  grasses  and  reeds  is  tedious 
and  slow.  The  dyes  are  made  by  steeping  the 
peel  or  bark  of  trees,  the  juice  of  berries  be- 
ing used  as  an  immersion.  The  fine  black 
strands  that  are  frequently  seen  outlining  a 
design  are  the  stems  of  maiden-hair  ferns. 

Among  the  fifty-eight  tribes  of  Indians 
in  this  country  there  are  a  number  noted 
for  their  skilful  weaving  of  baskets.  The 
Mokis,  who  live  in  pueblos  in  Arizona,  arc 
famous  for  their  fine  baskets,  and  their  manu- 
facture is  a  profitable  source  of  income.  This 
tribe  regards  its  baskets  as  sacred  and  makes 
them    a    part    of    religious   ceremonials.     The 

237 


HOME   FURNISHING 

Klickitas,  sometimes  called  the  Iroquois  of 
the  West,  adopt  the  imbricated  style,  or  over- 
lapping weave,  in  the  construction  of  their 
baskets.  Their  burden  baskets  are  well- 
known — generally  oblong  in  shape,  very  deep 
and  formed  on  a  block.  The  pattern  shows 
only  on  one  side  and  is  usually  the  lightning 
or  rattlesnake  motive.  The  inhabitants  of 
the  Aleutian  Islands  have  a  distinctive  art 
in  their  basketry.  The  broad,  stiff  grass  is 
shredded  fine  and  woven  so  closely  as  to  be 
waterproof.  It  is  soft  and  pliable,  and  when 
not  in  use  the  fabric  may  be  folded  away  like 
a  piece  of  cloth.  The  introduction  of  col- 
oured worsted  and  occasional  bits  of  feathers 
marks  the  Aleutian  baskets.  The  Apache  tribe 
makes  a  basket  well-proportioned  and  care- 
fully woven.  The  Ute  make  is  distinguished 
by  rougher  weaving  than  that  of  the  other 
Indians.  The  Shinumos  show  fine  quality 
and  great  variety  in  their  baskets,  and  when 
intended  as  a  water-jug  a  basket  is  given  a 
coat  of  pitch  and  gum  to  make  it  water-tight. 

238 


BASKETS   AND  JARDINII:RES 

A  curious  difference  is  noticed  in  the  baskets 
of  stationary  and  wandering  tribes,  the  latter 
showing  a  pouch  or  bag  that  is  more  suitable 
for  carr)'ing  than  the  designs  made  by  the 
Indians  who  stay  at  home. 

Indian  baskets  are  nearly  imperishable,  and 
a  collection  of  them  serves  many  utilitarian 
purposes.  In  one  home  these  baskets  were 
distributed  throughout  the  rooms  and  put 
to  every-day  use.  In  another  house  the  baskets 
were  grouped  around  the  brickwork  of  the 
fireplace,  a  centre  of  attraction. 

Outside    of    the    Indian    baskets,    those    of 

hand-made  willow  in  natural  colour  are  the 

most  commonly  known.     Different   shapes  in 

willow   can    be   made   and  then  stained  to  fit 

them   into   the   colours   of   a   room.      Baskets 

made    of    palmetto    are    light    and    soft,    yet 

durable,    and    the    natural    colour    suits    any 

surroundings.     Raflla  and  reed  baskets  can  be 

made    by    the    amateur    in   real    craftsman's 

manner,    designing    and    constructing    at    the 

same  time. 

230 


HOME   FURNISHING 

Jardinieres  and  flower  holders  are  among 
the  articles  of  furnishing  that  do  a  large  share 
towards  giving  a  homelike,  livable  atmosphere. 
Fortunately  for  the  large  majority  of  homes 
where  only  a  moderate  outlay  may  be  made 
in  this  direction,  there  is  a  good  variety  in 
choice  and  price. 

The  decoration  of  the  house  with  plants 
and  flowers  was,  until  of  late  years,  confined 
chiefly  to  the  cottage-window  display  of  ger- 
aniums, and,  in  finer  dwellings,  to  a  formal 
arrangement  on  gala  occasions  with  foliage 
plants  from  the  florists;  but  nowadays  the 
decorative  quality  of  plant  life  brought  in- 
doors is,  with  the  awakened  interest  in  beau- 
tifying the  home,  better  appreciated.  Flowers 
on  the  dining  table,  plants  in  the  living  room, 
experiments  in  seed  raising  in  the  nursery  and 
even  a  miniature  fernery  in  the  bath  room, 
are  not  infrequently  seen  at  this  time. 

A  jardiniere  to  be  "a  thing  of  beauty"  must 

be    of    good    design,    harmoniously    coloured 

and   suited   to  its  environment.     These   three 

240 


BASKETS   AND  JARDINltoES 

requirements  are  not  easy  to  meet,  but  they 
are  essential  for  the  all-around  success  of 
the  jardiniere.  A  common  mistake  in  se- 
lecting this  article  is  to  forget  the  relative 
values  of  the  plant  and  its  holder.  A  jar 
that  is  garishly  coloured  and  very  ornate  in 
design  defeats  its  object  of  framing  or  hold- 
ing the  plant.  The  Japanese  have  a  highly 
cultivated  sense  of  the  decorative  value  of 
plants  and  flowers.  One  exquisite  blossom 
placed  in  a  graceful  vase  expresses  more  to 
these  people  than  our  indiscriminate  massing 
of  many  varieties  in  a  showy  holder.  The 
dwarf  trees  brought  over  from  Japan  are 
often  more  curious  than  beautiful,  but  their 
ornamental  purpose  is  undeniable.  Each  speci- 
men is  grown  in  a  jardiniere  without  an  inner 
pot,  and  an  opening  at  the  bottom  acts  as  a 
drain.  The  same  idea  might  be  adopted 
with  our  native  plants  when  in  bloom,  trans- 
planting them  in  jardinieres  for  the  house 
while  they  are  in  bloom  and  returning  them 
to  the  garden  when  their  blossoms  disappear. 

241 


HOME   FURNISHING 

Among  the  jardinieres  that  may  always  be 
found  in  the  Japanese  ware  is  the  white  kind, 
printed  in  blue,  and  the  terra-cotta.  The  first 
is  well-suited  to  the  dining  table,  for  ferns  or 
plants,  and  the  other  is  useful  in  any  part  of 
the  home. 

Hammered  brass  pots  can  be  used  when 
pottery  fails  to  meet  the  colour  scheme  of 
the  room,  and  the  polished  surface  of  the 
metal  is  distinctly  useful  in  apartments  that 
are  lacking  in  sunlight. 

Modern  potteries,  such  as  the  Grueby, 
Rookwood,  Poillon,  Merrimac,  Newcomb  and 
others,  have  made  a  valuable  contribution  to 
indoor  garden  effects  by  designing  artistic  tubs 
to  hold  bay,  box  and  rubber  trees. 

•Holders  for  flower  pots  may  be  made  at 
home  from  reed,  willow  and  raffia,  and  while 
not  capable  of  hard  wear  these  holders  often 
meet  a  temporary  need  better  than  heavy 
pottery. 

In  buying  vases  to  hold  cut  flowers  a  pretty 
shape  may  make  a  strong  appeal  to  the  pur- 


BASKETS   AND   JARDINli:RES 

chaser,  but  when  juit  to  the  test  of  usefulness 
may  prove  quite  disappointing.  The  prefer- 
ence should  be  for  those  simple  in  design, 
quiet  in  colour,  with  a  firm  base  to  support 
the  weight  of  the  flowers. 

In  making  a  home  in  the  countr}',  a  lover 
of  flowers  determined  to  accumulate  no  use- 
less bric-a-brac,  but  to  gather  instead  a  col- 
lection of  vases  and  bowls  to  hold  cut  flowers. 
Certain  pieces  wxtc  kept  in  a  closed  cabinet; 
others  were  displayed  on  tables  and  shelves. 
Plain  or  iridescent  glass  was  reserved  for 
sweet  peas ;  tall,  tapering  vases  were  used  for 
roses ;  some  Spanish  pottery  was  dedicated 
to  nasturtiums;  large,  cylindrical  jars  of  dull 
green  were  brought  out  in  the  time  of  holly- 
hocks; and  hardy  chr}'santhemums,  the  gar- 
den's last  contribution  to  the  decoration  of  the 
house,  were  always  placed  in  terra-cotta  Mex- 
ican dishes.  Such  an  assortment  as  this  is  not 
beyond  the  most  limited  income,  and,  chosen 
by  degrees,  contributes  a  continuous  interest  to 
the  making  of  a  home. 

2-13 


XXVI 

THE   AFTERNOON    TEA    TABLE 

The  serving  of  a  cup  of  tea  is  an  interest- 
ing office  for  the  home  maker,  who  finds  in 
it,  beyond  the  simple  act  of  hospitality,  a 
field  for  practical  and  artistic  furnishing. 

The  evolution  of  the  afternoon  tea  table 
is  in  many  homes  the  outcome  of  experiments 
that  work  themselves  out  in  some  character- 
istic style. 

Afternoon  tea  on  the  porch  may  be  the 
most  delightful  of  feasts,  if  the  details  of  its 
service  have  been  made  a  matter  of  fore- 
thought and  taste.  A  small  table  of  bamboo 
and  Japanese  matting  is  light  enough  to  be 
moved  about  easily,  and  there  are  willow 
three- tier  stands  for  extra  cups  and  saucers. 
A  Chinese  hour-glass  chair  is  a  picturesque 
accompaniment    to    the    tea    table,    with    the 

advantages  of  lightness  and  coolness  for  warm 

244 


THE  AFTERNOON  TEA  TABLE 

weather.  The  equipment  of  linen  and  china 
for  the  porch  tea  table  may  be  selected  with 
reference  to  the  location,  as  colour  cfTects 
out-of-doors  may  be  deeper  and  more  strik- 
ing than  those  introduced  in  the  interior  of 
the  house.  The  delicate  pink  and  white  or 
green  and  white  tones  that  are  so  pleasing  in 
the  subdued  light  of  indoors  appear  faded 
in  the  stronger,  intense  piazza  light.  Con- 
ventional shapes  and  colourings  may  be  quite 
set  aside  in  choosing  the  tea  service  for  the 
porch  and  deep  ecru  or  brown  linen  may 
be  adopted  for  tray  cloths,  napkins,  table 
spreads   and   doilies. 

A  rustic  arbour  shaded  witli  climbing  roses 
and  vines  is  an  ideal  setting  for  the  tea  table 
during  the  later  hours  of  warm  days.  To 
avoid  the  trouble  of  transferring  the  tea  things 
to  and  from  the  house,  if  the  arbour  is  not 
close  at  hand,  a  water]:) roof  locker  may  be 
built  into  one  corner.  A  rustic  table  made 
of  hickory  or  silver  birch  is  durable  and  con- 
venient   f(jr    this    situation,    and    the    garden 

245 


HOME   FURNISHING 

tables  and  chairs  imported  from  England 
and  painted  white  or  green  are  distinctively 
attractive.  Rockers  and  armchairs  may  have 
their  comfort  increased  by  the  addition  of 
pillows  and  cushions  brought  out  from  the 
house. 

As  the  afternoon  cup  of  tea  is  a  movable 
feast,  it  is  often  served  in  the  parlour  or  other 
formal  room  of  the  home.  For  such  occasional 
use  a  table  need  not  be  kept  set  with  the  dishes 
and  other  paraphernalia  of  the  tea  service, 
to  give  a  chance  for  the  dust  to  gather  and 
disarrangements  to  occur  that  would  disturb 
the  orderliness  of  the  room. 

A  tray  may  be  arranged,  however,  in  the 
dining  room,  with  all  the  necessary  articles 
for  serving  the  tea,  and  carried  into  the  par- 
lour, to  be  removed  when  its  act  of  usefulness 
is  over.  The  point  to  be  met  to  make  this 
manner  of  serving  tea  successful  is  to  have 
some  table  in  readiness  in  the  parlour  to  re- 
ceive   the    tray.     This    is    best    accomplished 

by  the  possession  of  one  of  the  old-fashioned 

246 


THE  AFTERNOON  TEA  TABLE 

tip-tables  reproduced  now  by  furniture  manu- 
facturers, with  an  arrangement  under  the 
top  that  unlocks  and  fastens  automatically. 
The  upright  position  when  the  table  is  not 
required  for  active  service  will  insure  its  readi- 
ness at  any  moment  for  the  tea  tray,  and  its 
surface  of  polished  mahogany,  decorated  with 
a  band  of  inlay  or  a  centre  rosette,  makes 
the  tip-table  an  artistic  acquisition  for  the 
parlour  or  drawing  room.  The  round  top, 
about  twenty-four  inches  in  diameter,  is  the 
best  variety  to  use  in  connection  with  a  large 
tray,  but  sometimes  an  oval  top  suits  some 
especial  place  in  the  room  better  than  the 
circular  style. 

This  method  of  serving  tea  has  brought  tlie 
tray  into  a  popularity  that  it  has  not  known 
since  the  days  of  our  great-grandmothers. 
Then  the  establishing  of  the  dining  table  was 
a  matter  of  family  pride,  and  silver  and  linen 
heirlooms  were  regarded  with  profound  rever- 
ence. The  large  silver  trays  of  ShelTield  plate 
may  still  be  found  as  inheritances  from  past 

247 


HOME   FURNISHING 

generations,  and  silversmiths  now  try  to  pro- 
duce as  good  ones  in  imitation.  These  trays 
are  too  heavy  for  the  afternoon  tea  table  in 
the  parlour ;  but  an  excellent  substitute  is 
the  mahogany  tray  with  a  guard  of  the  same 
material  and  handles  of  brass.  Sometimes 
the  wood  has  a  sheet  of  plain  glass  laid  over 
it  as  a  protection  from  hot  dishes,  but  this 
is  apt  to  make  it  too  heavy  for  easy  lifting. 
Copper  trays  in  hammered  work,  round  or 
oval,  may  be  found,  and  round  ones  in  a  light, 
figured  brass  made  by  the  Japanese.  A  lac- 
quered tray  by  the  same  people  is  a  delicate 
artistic  addition  for  the  serving  of  tea,  but 
it  requires  an  asbestos  mat  to  protect  its  fine 
surface.  The  parlour  tea  service  naturally 
makes  a  claim  on  the  best  that  the  house 
affords  in  china  and  linen.  A  set  of  Apostle 
spoons  that  has  been  gathered  during  a  Con- 
tinental tour,  souvenir  spoons  from  different 
places  in  one's  own  country,  and  others  that 
have  been  handed  down  from  earlier  eras 
of   tea   makers,   may   distinguish   this   special 

248 


THE  AFTERNOON   TEA  TABLE 

scn-icc.  Old  pieces  of  china  that  speak  of 
bygone  histor}'  are  also  of  interest  here.  Most 
precious  of  all,  because  of  its  rarity,  is  the 
bit  of  homespun  linen  that  may  adorn  the 
tray,  the  work  of  some  thrifty,  industrious 
ancestor. 

In  some  households  the  tea  table  has  a 
daily  usage  at  four  or  five  o'clock,  to  break 
the  long  hours  between  an  early  luncheon 
and  a  late  dinner.  A  two-tier  table  of  oak 
or  mahogany  is  helpful  for  this  every-day 
service.  The  top  is  made  considerably  lower 
than  in  the  ordinary'  small  stand,  so  that  a  low 
chair  or  rocker  may  be  used  by  the  person  who 
pours  tea.  Its  size  is  ample  for  tea-making 
things,  and  an  under  shelf  is  added  for  extra 
cups  and  saucers,  and  supplies  of  crackers 
and  sugar. 

The  selection  of  china  for  an  every-day  tea 
table  should  accord  with  the  idea  for  which 
it  is  adopted.  Simple  decoration  that  is  pretty 
and  scr\'iceablc  should  be  the  key-note,  and 
conventional    fittings  must  not  be  too    rigc^r- 

249 


HOME   FURNISHING 

ously  followed  at  a  loss  of  original  charm. 
For  a  tete-a-tete  cup  of  tea  the  silver  tea  ball 
answers  all  the  purposes  of  the  teapot.  Tight 
tin  boxes  of  sweet  and  plain  biscuit  may  be 
ready,  to  fill  the  cracker  jar,  and  a  small  jar 
of  club  cheese  or  Scotch  marmalade,  and  In- 
dian preserves  and  rice  wafers  may  be  at 
hand  for  an  emergency  luncheon  at  the  after- 
noon tea  table. 

In  a  home  w^here  the  afternoon  tea  was 
a  daily  institution  a  special  room  was  reserved 
for  the  serving,  and  the  furnishings  carried 
out  on  a  different  plan  from  any  of  the  other 
rooms  in  the  house.  The  w^alls  were  covered 
with  a  warm,  light-grey  paper  almost  like 
parchment,  and  upon  this  background  some 
old  Japanese  prints  framed  in  narrow  gold 
bands  were  hung.  The  colours  that  appeared 
in  the  prints  were  repeated  in  the  curtains 
and  rugs:  pink  in  a  fine  cotton  crepe,  blues 
and  greens  mingled  in  the  rug.  The  space 
between  the  two  front  windows  was  fitted 
with  narrow  shelves  and  painted  a  cool  grey 

250 


THE  AFTERNOON  TEA  TABLE 

like  the  woodwork.  Some  Japanese  potteiy 
was  ranged  on  the  shelves  in  colours  and 
shapes  that  were  fitting  additions  to  the  re- 
fined colourings  elsewhere  in  the  room.  In 
the  wide  window  sills  some  small  jardinieres 
held  ferns  in  the  winter  months,  hyacinths 
and  tulips  in  the  spring  and  pansies  in  the 
summer.  On  dark  afternoons  the  Chinese 
lanterns  hanging  from  the  ceiling  were  lighted, 
and  candles  with  soft  pink  shades  were  placed 
on  the  tea  table.  The  furniture  was  chosen 
chiefly  from  the  Indian  rattan  make,  chairs, 
lounges,  stools  and  benches,  with  a  wooden 
settle  built  entirely  around  one  angle  of  the 
room  and  painted  like  the  woodwork. 


251 


XXVII 

SUMMER   FURNISHINGS    TOTpi   THE    COUNTRY 

HOUSE 

In  the  country  home  that  is  occupied  only 
during  the  summer  months  the  conventional 
rules  for  furnishing  and  decorating  may  be 
set  aside  for  something  more  original,  char- 
acteristic and  unique.  In  each  and  every 
departure,  however,  from  accepted  lines,  the 
idea  of  comfort  should  not  be  excluded. 

The  common  mistake  in  fitting  up  a  summer 
home  in  the  woods  or  by  the  sea  is  to  intro- 
duce too  many  articles  of  a  trivial  nature,  a 
style  of  furnishing  that  is  obviously  unsuited 
to  the  main  objects  that  are  sought  for  in 
vacation  days — rest  and  recreation.  Another 
incongruous  element  that  may  often  be  found 
in  the  country  home  of  moderate- priced  con- 
struction is  an  attempt  to  install  all  the  lux- 
urious appointments  of  the  modern  hotel.     A 

252 


COUNTRY  HOUSE  FURNISHINGS 

useful  simplicity  is  the  true  wixy  to  brins^  the 
temporary  shelter  into  harmonious  relations 
with  its  surroundings. 

If  there  are  shutters  at  the  windows  one 
set  of  hangings  may  be  the  entire  inner  out- 
fit. In  one  country  home  a  cretonne  was 
hung  at  all  of  the  windows  in  colours  and 
designs  to  suit  the  different  walls.  In  the 
bedrooms  some  chintz  effects  were  adopted; 
in  the  living  room  some  foliage  patterns  that 
resembled  tapestry.  The  washable  nature  of 
this  material,  its  good  texture  and  interesting 
designs  made  it  a  pleasant  change  from  muslin 
draperies.  In  making  up  the  cretonne  cur- 
tains a  hem  was  sewed  at  the  top  of  each 
breadth  and  rings  attached  to  slip  over  a  brass 
rod  an  inch  in  diameter.  When  the  room 
needed  screening  or  darkening  the  curtains  were 
easily  drawn  across  the  glass. 

Awnings  impart  a  great  deal  of  style  to  the 
exterior  of  the  country  house  in  addition  to 
their  having  a  utilitarian  object.  Green-and- 
white  stripes  are  cool-looking  ior  homes  with 

253 


HOME  FURNISHING 

little  foliage  around  them,  but  their  fleeting 
colour  makes  them  a  luxury.  Brov/n-and- white 
stripes  fade  to  quiet  tones  of  grey  and  white 
that  harmonise  with  white  houses  with  green 
blinds.  Red-and-white  stripes  appear  the  best 
on  well-shaded  grounds  and  give  a  festive 
appearance  to  the  home,  but  the  colours  are 
not  permanent  either  in  sun  or  rain.  Orange- 
and-white  stripes,  in  various  widths,  assim- 
ilate with  stonework,  weather-stained  shingles 
or  grey  paint  and  this  variety  stands  the  ex- 
posure the  best  of  any  of  the  coloured  duck 
that  is  used  for  awnings. 

In  the  furniture  for  the  living  room  of  the 
country  home  there  is  wide  scope  for  making 
a  picturesque  interior.  The  contiguity  of  the 
piazza,  lawn  or  garden  may  be  remembered 
by  selecting  chairs  and  tables  that  may  be 
easily  transported  from  one  place  to  the  other. 
Some  of  the  willow  pieces  fulfil  this  triple 
service,  and  the  white  canvas  chairs,  with  arms, 
that  are  used  on  shipboard,  may  be  chosen. 
A  steamer  chair  may  be  folded  together  for 

254 


COUNTRY  HOUSE    FURNISHINGS 

carr)-ing  about,  and  floor  cushions  may  be 
shifted  without  trouble. 

A  swinging  settle  may  be  hung  near  the 
fireplace  if  the  ceiling  beams  will  sustain  its 
weight.  The  mission  make  is  the  heaviest, 
but  lighter  varieties  are  made  in  cane  and 
willow.  A  single  swinging  seat  has  also  been 
manufactured  for  rooms  that  are  too  small 
to  accommodate  the  double  size.  A  lounge 
chair  made  of  willow  or  rattan  makes  a  half- 
reclining  bed  that  may  he  luxuriously  fitted 
with  cushions  and  pillows.  Such  a  chair 
may  be  stationed  in  any  part  of  the  room, 
and  does  not  exact  the  wall  space  needed  by 
a  lounge  or  sofa.  A  wide  divan,  however, 
is  the  acme  of  comfort,  and  a  pine  or  maple 
frame  fitted  with  a  good  spring  and  laid  with 
a  well-made  mattress  may,  with  a  suitable 
cover  and  soft  pillows,  be  as  satisfactory  as 
the  most  expensive  kind   of  sofa. 

If  a  plain  spread  is  laid  over  a  divan,  tlie 
same  material  may  be  used  upon  three  large 
square   pillows   that   are   put  at    the    back    to 

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HOME  FURNISHING 

support  others  that  are  lighter  in  weight. 
Anyone  who  is  expert  in  stencilling  with  colours 
may  originate  a  divan  cover  with  soft-finished 
burlap  or  denim  and  make  a  very  creditable 
part  of  the  furnishing  at  a  slight  expense. 
Besides  the  back  pillows  that  are  filled  with 
moss  or  hair,  some  small  ones  of  down  and 
feathers  may  be  covered  with  linen,  cotton 
crepe,  silkoline  or  gingham. 

If  upholstered  furniture  must  do  duty  dur- 
ing the  warm  weather,  it  may  have  slip  covers 
of  chintz  in  the  glazed  finish,  or  linen  taffeta. 
The  plain,  striped  linens  may  be  reserved 
for  the  covers  in  rooms  that  are  not  occupied 
during  the  summer,  but  their  lack  of  interest 
bars  them  from  the  living  room  in  the  country 
home. 

The  production  of  painted  furniture  has 
been  revived  during  the  past  few  years,  and 
if  the  painting  can  be  accomplislied  at  home 
the  unfinished  pieces  may  be  bought  at  a 
less  cost  than  when  enamelled  in  colours. 

If  small  tables  that  are  light  in  weight  are 

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COUNTRY    HOUSE   FURNISHINGS 

chosen  for  the  living  room,  their  usefulness  will 
extend  out-of-doors.  Willow,  bamboo,  matting, 
cane,  rattan  and  wicker,  each  by  itself  or  in 
combination  with  wood,  make  a  variety,  and 
the  shapes  may  be  round,  square  or  oblong  to 
fit  into  ditTerent  niches. 

Covers  for  tables  arc  not  as  much  in  demand 
as  mats,  but  one  or  the  other  may  be  an  in- 
dividualisino;  note  in  the  room.  Round  or 
square  leather  mats  may  be  of  undccorated 
materials,  or  the  finest  tooling  may  be  added, 
or  a  border  painted.  Heavy  linen  cut  in  cir- 
cular shape  may  be  ornamented  with  a  wide 
band  of  embroidery  in  deep  tones  of  a  contrast- 
ing colour. 

The  writing  desk  or  table  may  be  of  ligliter 
construction  than  the  one  in  the  town  house, 
but  should  have  the  usual  accommodations 
for  note  j)aper,  pens,  ink  and  other  para[)her- 
nalia  for  correspondence.  If  sj)ace  is  scant, 
a  shelf  on  hinges,  to  turn  down  against  the 
wall,  when  not  in  use,  is  a  convenient  place 
for   writing   or   working.     Such   a   table   may 

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HOME  FURNISHING 

be  a  valuable  little  serving  stand  in  the  dining 
room. 

A  picture  screen  is  a  novelty  that,  intended 
originally  for  the  living  room  of  the  country 
house,  may  be  utilised  with  almost  as  much 
satisfaction  in  any  other  part.  The  upper 
portions  of  the  panels  are  fitted  with  coloured 
prints  that  give  a  brief  pictorial  story  of  hunt- 
ing adventures.  The  lower  part  of  the  panel 
may  be  fitted  with  a  textile  fabric  or  the  heavy 
coverings  made  for  walls — crash  or  burlap. 
An  expedient  used  for  screening  a  corner  of 
a  living  room  when  meals  were  in  progress  was 
effected  with  a  large  clothes-horse  (the  kind 
sold  for  laundry  work)  which  was  covered 
with  a  linen  taffeta  printed  in  a  bold,  floral 
design. 

An  informal  arrangement  of  prints  may  take 
the  place  of  pictures  which,  in  a  town  house, 
would  need  to  be  regularly  framed  and  hung. 
A  set  of  black-and-white  sketches,  a  number 
of  hunting  scenes  or  some  English  posters, 
can  be  easily  transported  and  tacked  to  the 

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COUNTRY  HOUSE  FURNISHINGS 

wall  for  the  summer  decoration.  A  number 
of  coloured  prints  of  Indian  heads  may  be 
grouped  under  one  mat  and  put  up  without 
further  framing;  or,  a  binding  of  dark  paper 
and  a  glass  may  be  given  each  separate  print 
and  all  hung  together  on  the  wall.  With  so 
many  inexpensive,  pleasing  pictures  to  draw 
from,  the  country  home  need  not  miss  its  share 
of  pictorial  effect. 

Some  further  wall  decorations,  that  arc 
significant  of  out-of-door  life  and  sports,  may 
be  provided  by  the  articles  used  in  that  con- 
nection— oars,  floats,  lanterns,  pennants,  guns 
and  fishing  rods.  If  flowers  are  not  available, 
some  green  branches  and  vines  may  be  gathered 
from  fields  and  w^oods.  Wooden  boxes  covered 
with  bark  may  be  placed  on  the  steps  and 
filled  with  red  geraniums,  to  give  colour  to 
the  exterior  of  the  house  at  a  small  expend- 
iture of  garden  labour. 

Rugs  of  grass  matting  are  the  least  expen- 
sive covering  that  can  be  ])ut  on  the  lloors 
during   the   summer.     As   these   are    made    in 

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HOME   FURNISHING 

widths  that  run  from  three  to  twelve  feet, 
and  the  length  may  be  whatever  is  desired, 
they  have  a  wide  scope  of  usefulness.  The 
colour  tones  are  cool  and  unobtrusive,  har- 
monising with  any  kind  of  woodwork  or  fur- 
niture. 

The  rag  rugs  made  of  cotton  strips  woven 
by  hand,  if  deep  enough  in  colour,  are  a  pleas- 
ant floor  covering  for  the  country  living  room. 
While  the  hand  looms  do  not  make  wide  enough 
rugs  to  lay  entirely  over  a  floor,  the  factory- 
made  rugs  on  the  same  principle  are  as  wide 
as  nine  feet.  Scotch  rugs  are  the  most  prac- 
tical ones  for  the  living  room  owing  to  their  good 
colours,  permanent  dyes  and  artistic  designs. 
A  further  recommendation  is  the  fact  of  their 
being  woven  for  use  on  both  sides. 

The  fireplace  is  naturally  the  chief  point 
of  attraction  in  the  interior  of  the  country 
home.  A  broad,  rugged  treatment  of  stone- 
work or  bricks  is  in  better  keeping  here  than 
smooth  tiles  and  highly-finished  wood.  In 
one  mountain  home  the  hearth  was  dropped 

260 


COUNTRY  HOUSE  FURNISHINGS 

a  few  inches  below  the  floor  to  make  a  low 
seat  for  the  little  ones  in  the  family.  In  another 
house  a  tall  settle  was  built  on  one  side  of 
the  fireside  as  a  stationary'  sitting  place.  A 
hob  at  right  or  left  of  the  open  fire  is  a  cosy 
adjunct  to  an  old-fashioned  crane  and  swing- 
ing kettle. 

Dining  rooms  in  the  country  arc  often  fin- 
ished now  in  the  white  paint  known  as  a  colon- 
ial finish.  The  idea  is  being  followed  in  tables 
and  chairs  in  white  enamel  paint,  and  an  old 
set  of  furniture  that  is  in  need  of  refinishing 
may  receive  the  new  treatment  over  the  old 
shellac  and  stain.  In  a  white  dining  room  the 
cool  interior  will  be  further  enhanced  by  a  blue- 
and-white  paper  on  the  wall,  plain  blue  linen 
curtains  at  the  windows,  and  a  rug  of  bluc- 
and-green  on  the  floor. 

A  piazza  that  opens  from  the  dining  room, 
especially  if  it  is  away  from  the  front  entrance 
to  the  house,  may  be  easily  adapted  to  in- 
formal meals,  breakfasts,  luncheons  or  teas, 
if  it  is  provided  with  tables  and  chairs.     Linen 

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HOME  FURNISHING 

mats  may  take  the  place  of  a  large  cloth,  and 
a  simple  set  of  earthenware  may  be  substituted 
for  the  better  quality  of  china  that  is  used 
indoors.  Suitable  for  this  use  are  some  re- 
productions of  the  willow  china  which  are 
quaint  in  shape,  and  som.e  American  pottery 
made  for  baking  and  serving  which  is  at- 
tractive in  colour. 

The  bedrooms  of  the  country  house  may 
receive  a  treatment  full  of  simplicity  and 
easeful  charm.  If  a  tinted  wall  is  adopted 
the  bed  covering  may  be  of  a  flowered  pat- 
tern in  cretonne,  or  art  ticking  or  dimity; 
or,  if  a  figured  paper  is  applied  to  the  walls, 
plain  colours  elsewhere  will  balance  the  effect. 
Bedside  rugs  woven  in  rag-style  by  hand, 
or  the  lengths  sewed  together  to  make  a  sin- 
gle large  piece,  may  be  the  covering  for  the 
floor.  If  a  carpet  m.ust  be  used,  some  of  the 
mottled  ingrains  which  give  a  tone  without  a 
pattern  should  be  chosen. 

Toilet  sets  will  supplement  other  attractions 

in  this  room  if  selected  in  good  shapes  and 

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COUNTRY  HOUSE  FURNISHINGS 

artistic  decorations.  The  range  is  limited, 
however,  and  unless  a  set  whose  cost  takes 
it  beyond  the  proportion  expended  on  other 
things  is  chosen  the  washing  arrangements 
may  prove  disappointing. 

The  home  builder  who  can  plan  certain 
arrangements  for  summer  comfort  will  not 
overlook  the  advantages  of  an  upper  piazza. 
At  the  front  of  the  house,  or  in  an  exposed 
position,  such  a  porch  is  practically  useless; 
but  when  it  is  properly  located  with  due  pre- 
caution for  privacy  it  will  prove  invaluable. 
An  invalid  who  does  not  go  downstairs  will 
enjoy  the  fresh  air  and  change  of  environment 
from  the  interior  of  the  house;  a  child  may 
take  out-of-door  naps  under  the  protection 
of  a  roof  and  within  easy  reach  of  attention; 
the  airing  and  cleaning  of  clothes  is  another 
use  for  which  the  second  story  piazza  affords 
opportunity. 

The  country  home  during  the  summer  months 
has  for  a  number  of  people  only  a  transitor}' 
interest,   as   it   must    be   hired    furnished,  and 

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HOME  FURNISHING 

may  not  be  occupied  by  them  a  second  year. 
However  complete  the  house  in  its  equipment,  | 
the  home  atmosphere  is  missing  in  so  tem- 
porary an  abiding  place.  One  family  who 
made  a  rented  cottage  its  home  during  the 
hot  weather  originated  a  movable  motto  which 
was  transported  with  other  small  belongings 
from  the  town  abode.  A  slab  of  chestnut 
was  lettered  in  old  English  script : 

and  the  words  burned  into  the  wood  upon  a 
background  of  dark-brown  stain.  Wherever 
the  household  put  up  its  tent  thereafter  in 
vacation  days,  the  movable  motto  became  a 
feature  of  the  fireside  enjoyment. 

From  this  little  hint  other  schemes  may  be 
evolved  for  imparting  some  touch  of  the  fam- 
ily tastes  to  the  rented  home,  if  only  by  the 
carrying  of  cushion  covers,  a  spread  for  the 
sofa,  some  unframed  pictures,  flower  holders, 
and  tnhlo  rn nt=;  TIipqc  may  be  slipped  into 
cruiikti  ilvdi  he  clothing,  with  very 


COUNTRY   HOUSE   FURNISHINGS 

slight  additional  pressure  on  the  contents;  and 
the  trouble  and  expense  of  sending  out  a  few 
rugs,  a  special  chair  or  desk,  or  curtains  and 
table  china  from  the  city  dwelling  will  be  more 
than  compensated  by  the  pleasure  their  familiar 
presence  gives  to  the  household. 


265 


^80 


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